M's Chocolate Cake

Its birthday time here and a birthday means a cake needs to be on the table. The birthday boy's demand was all about chocolate and strawberries so here is what I came up with. Its a three layers chocolate fudge cake with dark chocolate ganache and strawberry fillings. And the icing is chocolate whipped cream. But big brother thought that it wasn't chocolaty enough so he added chocolate truffles and milk chocolate cubes on top and of course sprinkles are a must for a kid's birthday, isn't it ?
Here is Mr. M's cake :)

Cake Ingredients

All-purpose flour                              1 1/2 cups
Sugar                                               2 cups
Cocoa powder                                 1 cup
Baking soda                                     2 tsp
Baking powder                                 1 tsp
Salt                                                  1/2 tsp
Yogurt                                             1 cup beaten

Butter                                              1/2 cup melted
Extra-large eggs                                2
Vanilla extract                                   1 teaspoon
Water                                                1 cup

Method

Preheat your oven at 350. Butter and flour 9 inch pan around 2 inches deep.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl.

Mix melted butter, eggs, yogurt, water and vanilla.

Add your wet ingredients to dry ingredients. You will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula during mixing. (you can use your mixer or a whisk)
Pour it in your pan and bake for 40-50 mins. Test with a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean, means cake is ready.
Cool for about half an hour in the pans and turn them over onto cooling rack.

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients

Dark chocolate                        8 oz or 1/2 lbs

Whipping cream                       8 oz or 225 ml

Butter                                      2 tbsp

Method

Cut the chocolate in shards or chop very finely.
Bring cream to scalding point and then pour over the chopped chocolate and add butter. Let rest for a minuter and then stir.
Stir it again after 2-3 minutes. Do it a few times till all chocolate pieces disappear.
Let stand at room temperature for 4 hours or in refrigerator for about 2 hours to cool down until thickened.

Chocolate Whipped Cream

Whipping Cream                     2 cups
Chocolate Ganache                 1/4 cup
Icing sugar                               3-4 tbsp

Method

Chill the cream very well.

With the help of a hand whisk or mixer, whip till soft peaks. Add sugar and chocolate ganache and beat till stiff. Avoid over beating.
Refrigerate till ready to assemble the cake.

Assembly

Slice the cake in three layers.
Place one layer on your cake board and spread 1/2 cup of chocolate ganache to cover the layer. You can increase the amount of ganache as per your liking up to 1 whole cup.

Place the second layer of cake and spread 3/4 cup of strawberry jam to cover the whole cake.

Place the third layer on and start icing your your cake from top to the sides. Top with with some chocolate, chocolate curls, strawberries etc.

Note:
Use cocoa powder to flour the pan in stead of flour to avoid white residue on the cake.
If cream is over beaten, add a bit of more cream and whisk a little more to bring it back to the whipped cream texture.