Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache, and Turtle Cheese Cake

Today, at work, a coworker and I had an Iron Chef challenge. We were each to create a cake of our choice to bring in for all to enjoy, and all those who enjoyed would grade each cake on three categories... Presentation, creativity, and Taste.
Karen made a wonderful cheese cake with milk chocolate drizzle, caramel, and nuts... it was a hit, and was eaten very quickly. I decided on a triple layer devil's food cake, with chocolate ganache and fondant decorations on the top.


I have to say that the entire challenge was so much fun. Karen and I are both avid bakers and it was wonderful to see what we both came up with for the challenge, and they were both so delicious! At the end of the day there were many happy faces around the workplace, and I think the votes were too close to call in either direction... So I declare a tie and call both cakes winners!!!











Recipe

Devil's Food Cake

1 1/2 C Butter
3/4 C Cocoa Powder
3/4 C Hot Water
3/4 C Sour Cream
3 C Cake Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 1/4 C Sugar
4 L Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

*Whisk Cocoa with hot water until smooth.
Add in Sour Cream and let cool
*Sift together Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt.
*Beat Butter and Sugar until light and fluffy,
add Eggs, one at a time, then Vanilla. Next
add in Flour mixture alternating with Cocoa
mixture, beginning and ending with Flour.
*Divide batter between 2 9"X2" round pans
and bake at 350 for 45 to 50 min.

Chocolate Ganache

4C Heavy Cream
2 Lbs Semi Sweet Chocolate
1/4C Corn Syrup
1/4 tsp Salt

*Boil Cream and remove from heat
*Add chocolate, swirl, then whisk
*Add Corn Syrup, and Salt


** After Ganache cools whip 1/2 of the batch
on med util it forms soft peaks, 5-7min
** Use whipped Ganache between cake layers
and as a crumb coat
**Pour remaining Ganache over cake and smooth

I chilled the cake before adding the Fondant decorations