Changes, hints and thoughts for the future:

- you could mix just about anything into that ganache filling; the coconut was good, but nuts, finely chopped candy, preserves...just about anything would work, depending on what taste you wanted

- I didn't allow the ganache icing to cool for as long as I should have before pouring it over the cakes; this made the sides more pronounced in their uneven-ness...bumpy cake sides are just not that appealing...oh well

- beacuase I have a gas oven it does cook things faster than most recipes claim...I keep a close eye on things like cakes and continue to test them until the tester comes out clean

- I only used two of the three layers this recipe made; one is in the freezer for when ever I feel like a one-layer chocolate cake

- my mom had a good idea -- instead of baking the cake in separate pans, bake two-thirds of the batter in one spring-form pan and cut it in half to fill...this too would ensure that you don't have shapely cake profiles!

 

 

Simple Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
Ganache Filling
Ganache Icing

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven o 350 F. Buter 3 7- or 8-inch, 2-inch deep) round cake pans and line with rounds of parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
2. Whisk together water, cocoa and espresso powder until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Beat together butter and brown sugar in bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachemnt at high speed until fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and cocoa mixtured in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing at low speed until just combined.
5. Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 - 35 minutes. Cool pans on a rack for 30 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper and cool completely.

Ganache Filling:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sweetened coconut (or any filling you want)

1. Melt chocolate with cream in a heavy saucepan, and cook over very low heat until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and refrigerate until cooled but not too firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Using a handheld mixer, beat on high speed until thick and creamy. Fold in coconut and use immediately.

Ganache Icing:

1/2 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
 
1. Chop chocolate finely using a serrated knife; place in a large heat-proof bowl.
2. Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir chocolate and cream until well combined and smooth. Let sit at room temperature until cooled and just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, but up to an hour depending on the temperature of the room.
3. Pour over cake set on top of cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch drips (drips can be melted again and reused).

Directions to decorate cake with pansies.