Chocolate Ganache and Caramel cream cake.

So i decided to try a cake Using a Ganache as Frosting, just for the sake of learning something new.
True to myself and my hate for recipes i didn't follow everything completely...but that's why it's fun right?


Ingredients.
CARAMEL CREAM


1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
half a tin of coronation caramel

GANACHE FILLING AND FROSTING

• 1 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• I also added about 1/4 a cup of caramel but that was just me.

CAKE

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee (instead of that i just added a heap of caramel to the hot water)
• 1 1/4 cups almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped  (i used walnuts instead)

Preparation


Ganache
First of all... i made the mistake of not looking at the prep instructions before deciding on the recipe... so the ganache is actually supposed to be done WEL in advance... preferably the night before!!!


But the preparation is pretty easy....


1. Break up the chocolate into a large bowl
2. Bring the cream to a simmer in a pot
3. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it start to soften for about a minute.
4. after the minute stir the chocolate and cream together... (this is where he i added the extra caramel)


Caramel cream


1.Whip up the cream until almost stiff (add sugar if needed)
2. whip in the caramel... to taste... so add more until it tastes good and caramelly
   A tip... don't eat pure caramel before you taste the caramel cream... cuz then you gotta get someone to taste it for you cuz it tastes real bland after the pure caramel :)




 Cake
 (i'munna just copy it down from the recipe i got it from)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F (gas mark 4 ). Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each with parchment paper; butter paper and dust pan with flour.

Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Add milk, eggs, and melted butter. Using electric mixer, beat at low speed until blended. Increase speed and beat 2 minutes. Stir 1 cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl to dissolve. Add to batter; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans (about 3 cups each).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 32 minutes (it took me like 45 minutes so keep checking). Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around cakes; turn out onto racks. Peel off parchment and cool completely. (i'd leave it longer than 10 minutes to cool cuz otherwise the cutting is a bit of a shambles!)

Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer on platter; spread with 1/2 cup room-temperature ganache. Spoon 3/4 cup ganache into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain round tip. Pipe ring of ganache around edge of layer. Top with second cake layer, ganache, ganache ring, caramel filling, and almonds. Repeat with third cake layer. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake. Press remaining almonds onto sides. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let cake stand at room temperature 1 hour

  it's pretty Ugly but it did taste good hahaha

I decorated it a little different but whatevs!