Classic American Yellow Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Dear 9,000 year old Bundt Pan,

Look. I know how it is. You sit, unused, at the bottom of my cabinet, alone and abandoned. I understand how scary it must be in there... forced to sleep in the shadows every night. And with the broken old bent springform pans, no less. Feeling so neglected, collecting dust, and being nothing more than a home for the ocassional bug or fly. Getting your hopes up every time you see a speck of light dawn on you from the bright kitchen that you see so little of, only to have those hopes crushed when you realize that someone was just looking for the frying pan that got carelessly shoved all up in your personal space in someones careless rush to clean the kitchen. I know. It sucks to be forgotten. It sucks to be unused, especially when you have so much potential. So much to offer.

But Bundt Pan, you shouldn't be so bitter. You see, when you do get used, you really shouldn't do horrible things that make people never want to use you again.

For example...

1) Hanging onto half of my cake even though I rubbed shortening all over you 10x.
2) BURNING the top half of my cake regardless of the extra procedures I went through to ensure that didn't happen.
3) Did I mention the hanging onto half of my cake part? Yeah. That wasn't cool, Bundt Pan.

I really do want to use you more. I do. But when you do stuff like this... no matter what I do to avoid it, you always end up throwin' off my groove, Bundt Pan. And it makes me want to never use you. Ever. Ever ever ever ever.



I don't know if I can use you again, Bundt Pan. You really screwed up this time, man. You're lucky I had lots of ganache in the fridgerator. Real lucky. Or else, I might have thrown you out this morning. You're even luckier that this recipe is so kick butt that it's good enough for me to post regardless of your little tactics to try and ruin my cake making desires. Seriously... perfectly, all-american golden cake, tender and moist underneath two thick layers of ganache? Not even you can ruin that, Bundt Pan. Though you try.

I really am serious, man. Maybe if you got your act together, I'd use you more, and then you'd be happier, and so would I. Just sayin'. A little cooperation is all i'm askin' for.

Hopefully, this isn't an omen for the Saints to lose on Sunday. 'Cause if they do... I'm blaming you, Bundt Pan.

With Love,
Your Frusterated Owner Alexandra



Classic American Yellow Cake with Chocolate Ganache
(Adapted from a Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman)

Note: I highly recommend not using a bundt pan for this recipe like I did, and instead making a layer cake or cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE
1 cup (2 sticks)unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar, pulverized in food processor
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups warm milk

GANACHE
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Generously spray two 9-inch round cakepans with nonstick cooking spray and place pans on large parchment paper-lined baking sheet (or spray 24 cupcake liners).

2. In a mixer bowl or large food processor, blend butter and sugar until fluffy and thoroughly combined. Then add eggs and vanilla and blend well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, drizzling in milk as mixture blends to make a smooth batter. Spoon batter into prepared cakepans.

3. Bake until cake springs back when gently pressed with fingertips, 35-40 minutes. Cool slightly. Unmold cakes from pans, cool on wire wracks, and then gently wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Chill in freezer 30 minutes or wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to frost.

4. To make chocolate ganache, melt in a double boiler or in the microwave the heavy cream, chocolate chips and butter until smooth and velvetty. Cover and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

5. To assemble cake, take cake and ganache out. Give the ganache a quick stir to make it velvetty smooth again. Spread 1/4 of the ganache between the cake layers. Spread half of the remaining ganache mixture ontop of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Return ganache and cake to the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. Take back out, and give the top of the cake another helping of ganache. Let ganache set on the cake before serving.