May 04, 2017

Guanaja Chocolate Layered Cake

Guanaja 70% has become one of the most iconic Valrhona chocolates by shaking up flavor conceptions and technique in the industry for 30 years. In celebration of its 30 years, we’ve come up with a few Guanaja recipes we think you’ll enjoy indulging in at home! Here is one for a Guanaja Chocolate Layered Cake. You can use Michael's chocolate cake recipe below, or use any other recipe for your favorite chocolate cake!

Yields: One Cake Layer    Time: About 2hrs

Ingredients:

The Cake
    • 473 grams water
    • 150 grams Cocoa Powder
    • 500 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 800 grams Sugar
    • 10 grams baking soda
    • 18 grams kosher salt
    • 475 grams Buttermilk
    • 432 grams Olive Oil
    • 3 Eggs
    • 8 grams Vanilla Paste
    The Frosting
      • 150 grams Valrhona's Guanaja Dark Chocolate
      • 300 grams Recchiuti Burnt Caramel Sauce
      • 60 grams Heavy Cream

        Instructions:

        Bake the Cake (makes 1 layer)

        1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter and flour one 9-inch cake pan.

        2. Bring water and cocoa powder to a simmer, cool.

        3. Sift and combine all remaining dry ingredients.

        4. Folding with whisk; combine and gradually add oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla to dries. DO NOT OVER MIX!

        5. Stir in cooled cocoa mix.

        6. Pour batter into desired pan or mold, bake for 8 mins, rotate and bake 8-10 more minutes. 

        7. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

          Make the Frosting

          1. Melt the Guanaja chocolate in the microwave for about 90 seconds (104 degrees F.)

          2. In a separate bowl, combine the Burnt Caramel Sauce and heavy cream and heat in the microwave for about 90 seconds (104 degrees F.)

          3. Combine the melted chocolate and Burnt Caramel sauces and mix together with an immersion blender to create a smooth caramel chocolate sauce.

          4. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature (preferably overnight). When you are ready to frost you cake, add the mixture to a standing mixer and whip until it is light and airy. 

          Assemble the Cake

          1. Gently remove the cake from its pan by inverting it on a plate. If you're making a single-layered cake, spread the Guanaja frosting on top of the cooled cake and serve it up! If you are making a layered cake, spread the frosting between the layers of the cake and stack as high as you'd like (we did 3 cake layers.) Top the final layer of the cake with the frosting. You can finish the cake with your favorite toppings like toasted coconut or fresh berries. Serve at room temperature.