What could possibly be a sexier dessert for Valentines Day then a moist slice of chocolate cake with rich ganache frosting?  When I think of a dessert for my love on Valentines Day this is it! 

This RECIPE CHOCOLATE CAKE MOIST RICH WITH GANACHE FROSTING is guaranteed to leave the one you love swooning and asking for more. Once you make this cake I promise you will never buy or look at another box cake mix the same. It is wonderfully moist with a lovely rich chocolate flavor and easy to make. The ganache is best made with a chocolate you would eat plain, whether you prefer a dark chocolate or semi sweet. I find one of the biggest mistakes when making a ganache is using a chocolate that you would not eat plain. It's important to use a good quality chocolate!

Butter 2 (8") round cake pans, line with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper.

Dust pans with cocoa powder and tap out any excess cocoa.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.

(This can easily be made with out a mixer by hand also.)

Turn mixer on low and mix until blended.

Combine melted butter, buttermilk or milk, eggs and vanilla.  Stir until well blended.

Dump butter/milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir on low until almost incorporated.

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Add all of the hot coffee and mix until just blended. Scrape the sides of bowl as needed.

Divide batter evenly between both pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile for Ganache combine sugar, heavy cream and butter in a small sauce pan and heat over low heat until butter is melted and cream is hot. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

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Pour cream mixture over 24 ounces of good quality chocolate.

Allow to sit for 5 minutes and then stir until smooth. Allow ganache to cool for 1-2 hours or until thick enough to frost the cake with. (For a lighter ganache beat in mixer on medium speed with a whisk attachment until desired consistency is reached. Watch ganache closely in the mixer as it will set a lot quicker.)

Allow cake to cool in pan and then move to a wire cooling rack until room temperature.

Frost cake with ganache. Enjoy with fresh strawberries, raspberries or your favorite ice cream.

Ingredients

FOR THE MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE:

• 1 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder, plus more for dusting pans
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted, plus extra for greasing pans
• 1 cup Buttermilk Or Milk
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Coffee, Very Hot

FOR THE GANACHE FROSTING:

• 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 1 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 24 ounces Chocolate, Semi-sweet Or Dark that you would eat plain

Cooking Directions

1. FOR CHOCOLATE CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degree's. Grease 2 (8"x2") cake pans with butter. Line with parchment paper and butter parchment paper. Dust with extra cocoa powder and shake off any excess.
2. Place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low until ingredients are fully incorporated.
3. Place melted butter, buttermilk or milk, eggs and vanilla into a small bowl and mix with a fork until fully incorporated. Butter will conglomerate a little bit from the cold buttermilk. This is great, do not worry.
4. Dump wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on medium low until almost incorporated about 45 seconds. Slowly poor in  hot coffee with mixer on medium low. Mix until fully incorporated.
5. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in cake pan until room temperature. Remove from pan and finish cooling on a cooling rack.
6. FOR GANACHE FROSTING: Combine granulated sugar, heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted and mixture is hot. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
7. Place chocolate in a medium sized bowl and pour cream mixture over the top. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes and then stir until smooth.
8. Allow ganache to cool for 1-2 hours until desired consistency is reach to frost the cake. (Watch ganache closely as it will eventually harden like chocolate. Ganache can always be remelted over the top of a double boiler if this occurs.)
9. TO ASSEMBLE: Frost cake when cool with ganache and ganache has reached a spreadable thick consistency.

Ok there is some RECIPE CHOCOLATE CAKE MOIST RICH WITH GANACHE FROSTING from me.I hope you can enjoy it