A delicious recipe for a show-stopping chocolate wedding
cake. The incredible ruffle decoration is sure to wow your guests and
will taste awesome too!
For the decoration
What you need
Serves 60–70
3 x 20cm (8in) round chocolate fudge cakes
3 quantities (about 1.2kg/2lbs 10oz) of ganache
Chocolate rolled fondant: 825g (1lb 13oz) to cover the board, 3kg (6lb 10oz) to cover the cake
Sugar glue (from a cake decorating shop)
28cm (11in) round base board
3 x 20cm (8in) thin, round cake boards
Dowels
Ribbon
Make it!
1. Cover your base board with rolled fondant. Brush with cooled boiled water, then roll your sugar paste to 3mm (1/8in) thick and lay over board. Trim away excess with a small, sharp knife, keeping it flush with the board. Fasten ribbon trim around the edge using double-sided tape.
1. Cover your base board with rolled fondant. Brush with cooled boiled water, then roll your sugar paste to 3mm (1/8in) thick and lay over board. Trim away excess with a small, sharp knife, keeping it flush with the board. Fasten ribbon trim around the edge using double-sided tape.
2. Cut each cake horizontally into three equal layers with a sharp knife, then place the bottom third of each cake on the thin cake boards of the same size. Layer each cake with ganache, then crumb coat your cake. To do this, spread the ganache over the top of the cakes. Place the next cake layer on top of each cake and cover with ganache. Place the final cake layers on top. Now give the cakes a fine coating of ganache, around the sides and top – this is called crumb coating, and helps trap the crumbs so they won’t get into the final icing layer. This also gives the icing something to stick to.
3. You should now have three filled and crumb-coated cake tiers, each with three layers.
4. Using dowels for support, stack the cake tiers centrally.
5. Give the whole cake a final layer of crumb coating. Allow to set for about ten minutes.
6. Cover the entire cake with rolled fondant. To do this, dust a clean work surface with icing sugar. Knead your fondant until pliable. Evenly roll out to 3mm (1/8in) thick and large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. Lift the fondant with a rolling pin, lay it over your cake, then gently push it down the sides. Smooth the top and sides with your hands. Finish by polishing the icing with a cake smoother and trimming away any excess with a sharp knife.
7. Carefully place the cake onto the covered base board.
8. Working with a small quantity at a time, roll out the remaining chocolate fondant into strips about 15cm (6in) long and 2cm (¾in) wide. Using the end of your rolling pin, flatten one edge slightly more than the other, to create ruffles.
9. Once you have three or four strips ready, paint the thicker edges with sugar glue, then layer them around the cake, gathering them a little to create ruffles.
10. To complete the top of the cake, just twist a few of the strips in every direction.
If you’re feeling like a top head chef why not make the cake and ganache yourself too? Recipes here:
[post_ads]
[post_ads]
Chocolate fudge cake
What you need
Makes one 3-layer, 20cm (8in) round cake
5 eggs
650g (1lb 7 oz) sugar
250g (9oz) butter, melted
150g (5 ½ oz) cocoa powder
360g (12 ¾ oz) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
200g (7oz) plain yogurt
450ml (16 fl oz) milk
Make it!
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4). Line a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin with baking paper.
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4). Line a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs, sugar and melted butter until light and fluffy.
3. Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder together. Combine the yogurt and milk.
4. Alternately add the dry ingredients and liquids to the egg mixture in three equal batches. Mix to a smooth silky batter.
5. Pour into the lined tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely. (Once cooled you can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or wrap well and freeze for 2-3 weeks).
Ganache
What you need
200g (7oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
200ml (7fl oz) pouring cream
Make it!
1. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
1. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
2. Bring the cream to the boil in a small saucepan, then pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave it alone for 2 minutes.
3. Use a hand whisk to lightly remove any lumps and emulsify the mixture into a smooth, shiny ganache, without aerating it too much.
Source: planyourperfectwedding.com
