Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Ganache Glaze
Ah, chocolate cake. I have missed you so.
And while I've definitely also missed you, rich, dense, heavy chocolate cake, I've been craving a different kind of chocolate cake just a little more. I've been missing the kind of chocolate cake that's light and airy and fluffy. The kind that we call chiffon chocolate cake. The kind of chocolate cake that we've got ourselves here today.
Get your fancy chocolate cake pants on, people. I mean business.
This light, airy, fluffy chocolate cake is made in a tube pan. Which is the first step taken here to ensure this cake is as fancy as possible.
And the second step? A shiny, glossy chocolate ganache glaze. Which is just too perfect a companion for this chocolate chiffon cake. Light, delicate cake + rich, creamy, chocolate ganache. They're a perfect couple. And they lived happily ever after.
And the third step? A sprinkling of chopped pistachios. Because pistachios are beautiful, little things, and their lively green hue complements the deep brown chocolate cake quite nicely.
And the fourth step? Nah, we don't need a fourth step. Me thinks the cake is fancy enough now.
So, how does a chocolate cake come to be airy and fluffy? By whipping egg whites until you achieve soft peaks, my friends.
Now, now, I know your heart just sank a little bit. Whipping egg whites? Ain't nobody got time for that. But please, take a moment to at least consider it. The whipped egg whites is really the only annoying part about making this cake. And it's actually not that annoying, because all you have to do is separate the eggs and then pour the egg whites into your stand mixer and proceed to let your machine do all the work.
Aside from that, this cake is just your average whisk-together-dry-ingredients-whisk-together-wet-ingredients-mix-the-two-together shindig.
AND - you don't even have to grease your tube pan. In fact, you absolutely should not grease it. So that's one whole less step for you to take care of. See - this chocolate chiffon cake isn't that scary. But it's still fancy fancy.
Remember when I mentioned that this chocolate chiffon cake was light and airy and fluffy? I meant it. It really is.
This chiffon cake is nothing like your ordinary Hershey's chocolate cake. And while I love me some rich Hershey's chocolate cake, sometimes you just want a not-heavy slice of dessert. Or breakfast. Or snack.
This cake won't ever leave you with that heavy, cloying feeling. It'll leave you with that "wow, that was such a lovely piece of delicate chocolate cake, I almost feel like I can eat the entire pan and still just feel pleasantly satiated" feeling.
But then there's that velvety, creamy, chocolate ganache. Just to make you reconsider and decide, "okay, maybe just half the pan of cake would suffice."
chocolate chiffon cake with ganache glaze
Yield: 10" tube cake
2 cups pastry/cake flour (all purpose flour may be substituted)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 eggs, separated (room temperature)
1 cup water (room temperature)
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Ganache Glaze:
4 oz. heavy cream or milk (or non-dairy milk)
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chopped pistachios for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 325 F.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Separate egg yolks into a medium bowl (set aside egg whites) and whisk together with the water, oil, and vanilla with a hand whisk. Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk just till smooth.
Place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whip, and whip until frothy. Add in the 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and continue whipping until you get stiff peaks.
Pour egg yolk batter into the center of the whipped egg whites and fold it into the egg whites gently. Don't beat/whisk.
Pour batter into an un-greased large (10") tube pan. Bake cake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Immediately turn tube pan upside down and allow cake to cool completely.
While cooling, prepare ganache: heat heavy cream/milk on stove or in microwave until it begins boiling. Place chopped chocolate. butter/oil, and vanilla into a small bowl. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate and let sit for two minutes before stirring mixture until smooth.
Once cooled, turn tube pan over and run a knife around the edges of the pan to release cake. Flip over onto serving plate. Pour ganache over cake and spread with spatula if necessary. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios if desired.
Recipe Adapted from Nigella
