Blue Chocolate Drip Cake

I made this bad boy for one of my friend’s a while back. There’s something really nice about those drip cakes – I’m not sure if it’s because it prompts one’s mouth to begin to water, or it just makes you want to pour a bowl of chocolate down your throat. Either or, I’m down for a drip cake.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 8-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
3. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ounces (1/4 liquid cup) milk (2% or greater milk fat)
• 4 ounces bittersweet, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate, finely chopped or grated

Directions:

1. Place chopped or grated chocolate into a medium sized, heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Place milk and butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until butter has melted completely. Increase heat to medium high and allow mixture to cook another couple of minutes, until you see tiny bubbles around the edge of the saucepan. Do not allow the milk to boil or it will burn.
3. Pour hot milk into the bowl of chocolate and allow it to site for 5 minutes, then stir until chocolate has completely melted and mixture is shiny and smooth.
4. Ganache will solidify and set up in 30-45 minutes. It will set up faster if refrigerated.