A Novel: Chocolate Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Filling, Ganache Frosting and Glaze AND Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What's with chocolate commercials? 

Who eats chocolate naked while an enormous fan conveniently blows silk scarfs over her (never his) lady parts?

I certainly don't.
All I need is chocolate in my mouth and sweatpants. 

Chocolate Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Filling, Ganache Frosting and Glaze AND Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

These titles just keep getting longer and longer!

Chocolate Mania!!

This is what happens when I go to the grocery store craving chocolate!

It's a problem!

After mixing the cake batter and getting it into the oven, I spent some quality time with my extra-sweet California strawberries from Trader Joe's:

Naked!

Ahhh, cloaked in white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. Much more appropriate. 

What the...? The ugly duckling.

Since this cake was already starting to ooze chocolate, I decided to layer it with whipped cream. 

There's 4 layers in there somewhere!

Sweet, light, and fluffy!

Now to the good stuff: GANACHE! Pronounced Gah-nah-shhhh, take that Webster's!

Melt away!

I made both a ganache frosting as well as a ganache glaze.

The ganache frosting took a bit of time and care. After combining the cream and the chocolate, I had to put it in the fridge and stir it about every 5 minutes. After 30 minutes of doing this...I started to get impatient. It took 2 hours to get to a good "frosting consistency", but....it was worth it!

Ganache is rich and creamy...it should be its own food group!

I frosted the cake, piped a border on the bottom, and then set to work on the ganache glaze. 

Still working on my smoothing...eep.

Piped chocolate balls....spheres...

I poured the ganache glaze over the top of the cake and used my offset spatula to push it towards the edges.

I OBVIOUSLY used more than that!

Then, I let gravity do the rest. 

Drip baby, drip!

As if there's not enough chocolate in/on this cake already, I decorated it with chocolate covered strawberries (this gives the cake nutritional points).

See those two sad strawberries in the background?
Lunch BABY!

And the rest is history!

Two-tone cake? I experimented with different chocolates :)

One more picture...

I was smart and made this cake on my cake saver tupperware!

Okay, maybe one more...

Nom nom nom!

Love you all! Take Care and God Bless!

Chocolate Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Filling, Ganache Frosting and Glaze AND Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Print Recipe Yield: 10 servings    Prep Time: 45 Minutes    Total Time: 1 and 1/2 hours Ingredients: Chocolate Cake 1 and 1/2 cups cake flour 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon instant coffee 1/3 cup melted unsweetened Baker's chocolate Melt on stovetop using double broiler or heat proof bowl over saucepan 1/2 cup hot water 2 large eggs, room temperature 1/2 cup buttermilk Whipped Cream Frosting 1 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled 1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted 1 teaspoon vanilla Ganache Frosting 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 2 and 1/3 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup light corn syrup Ganache Glaze 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped 2/3 cup heavy cream 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup Chocolate Covered Strawberries 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 3 ounces white chocolate 12 fresh strawberries (California Sweet if available) Directions: Chocolate Cake 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9" round cake pans. 2. Combine flour, granulated sugar, butter, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and instant coffee in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed just until ingredients are blended together. Then raise the speed to low-medium and mix until smooth. 3. With the motor running, pour in melted chocolate until combined. Then pour in hot water until combined. 4. With the motor running, add eggs one at a time being sure to let each one absorb into the mixture before adding the next. 5. Continue to mix for about 1 minute to ensure all ingredients are combined. 6. Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans. 7. Bake in the over for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 8. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove cake from pans and let cool on rack.  9. Layer and decorate as desired :0)! Whipped Cream Frosting 1. Chill metal bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge for 15 minutes. 2. Using chilled bowl and whisk attachment, beat cream until frothy. 3. Add confectioners sugar and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form. Ganache Frosting 1. Place chocolate pieces in a large sized bowl (heatproof). 2. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to just a simmer on medium high heat. 3. Pour cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand until chocolate begins to melt. 4. Starting at the center, use a spatula and start folding the chocolate in the middle of the bowl. Work your way towards the edges, pulling the chocolate inward until the mixture is smooth and glossy. 5. Refrigerate and stir every 5-10 minutes until frosting begins to hold desired shape. Use immediately.  Ganache Icing 1. Place chocolate pieces in a medium sized bowl (heatproof). 2. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to just a simmer on medium high heat. 3. Pour cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand until chocolate begins to melt. 4. Starting at the center, use a spatula and start folding the chocolate in the middle of the bowl. Work your way towards the edge, pulling the chocolate inward until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Note: Glaze can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Gently reheat before using. Chocolate Covered Strawberries 1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. 2. Melt semi-sweet chocolate in double broiler or heat proof bowl on top of a saucepan, over medium heat until melted. Set aside. 3. Melt white chocolate in double broiler or heat proof bowl on top of a saucepan, over medium heat until melted. Set aside. 4. Dip half of the strawberries in the semi-sweet chocolate, twisting as you pull it out to help discard extra chocolate. Place on lined baking sheet. 5. Dip fork into the white chocolate and drizzle over the dipped strawberries. Let chocolate harden (about 30 minutes) Note: Ganache Glaze and Frosting are recipes from Martha Stewart. Also, I doubled the chocolate cake recipe to make 4 layers.