Lemony white cake with milk chocolate ganache
Lemony white cake with milk chocolate ganache recipe in the cake category
Recipe ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup, 1 stick, unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 cup egg whites, from about 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- Milk chocolate ganache:
- Zest of 2 lemons removed in long strips with a vegetable peeler
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons, 1/2 stick, unsalted butter, softened
- 20 ounces milk chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
Recipe method:
- Butter two 9 inch round pans, 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep, and line with buttered parchment or wax paper.
- Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of parchment or wax paper and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the lemon zest and extract.
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites and milk.
- Add a third of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Scrape down bowl and beaters.
- Beat in half the milk and egg white mixture until incorporated, then beat in another third of the flour mixture. Scrape bowl and beaters.
- Beat in remaining liquid until absorbed, followed by remaining flour mixture. Scrape well after each addition.
- Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth top evenly.
- Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until well risen and a wooden pick inserted in the center emerges clean.
- Cool layers in pans for 5 minutes, then invert to racks to cool. Peel off paper.
- If prepared in advance, double wrap layers in plastic wrap and chill for up to several days or freeze.
- Milk chocolate ganache:
- Place the pieces of zest in a saucepan and add the cream.
- Place over low heat and bring to a simmer.
- Remove from heat and allow to steep about 5 minutes.
- Remove zests from cream with a slotted spoon and discard them.
- Add butter to the cream and bring to a boil over low heat.
- Remove from heat and add chocolates.
- Shake pan to submerge chocolate and allow to stand 5 minutes.
- Whisk smooth, then cool to room temperature.
- Ganache will thicken to spreading consistency.
- To finish, put one layer right side up on a platter or cardboard.
- Place ganache in mixer bowl and beat until light, about 20 seconds.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the layer with about a third of the ganache.
- Place the other cake layer upside down on the ganache, so that the smooth bottom of the cake layer is uppermost.
- Spread the top and sides of the cake evenly with most of the remaining ganache, but save about 1/2 to 1/3 cup to pipe decorations on top of the cake.
- After smoothing the outside of cake, use a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tube and pipe a series of rosettes around the top rim of the cake.
- Keep the cake at a cool room temperature before serving.
- Keep leftovers under a cake dome at a cool room temperature or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
Tags: lemony, white, milk, chocolate, ganache, recipe, cake, recipes, cooking