Chocolate Buttermilk Cake*
Makes a 9-inch, 3-layer cake or 24 muffins or baby cakes and 2 cups ganache
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
2-1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Softened butter and cocoa, to prepare pans
GANACHE
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces heavy cream
Bring water to boil, pour over the cocoa powder and mix until smooth. Cool to room temperature and whisk in buttermilk. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and dust baking pans with cocoa.
Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt twice, and set aside. With electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
Slowly add the sugars, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue to beat on medium speed for 3 or 4 minutes longer, scraping down the beaters and sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should look fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 10 seconds after each, until absorbed by the butter mixture. Beat in vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat for 2 minutes longer until smooth.
With large rubber spatula, fold the sifted ingredients into the batter in 3 additions, alternating with the chocolate and buttermilk mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute until smooth.
Distribute batter evenly in prepared pans, smooth tops and rap the pans sharply on the counter to break up any large air bubbles. Bake for 12-17 minutes for muffins, and about 18-20 minutes for cake layers. Center of cakes should spring back when lightly touched. (Do not over-bake, as times vary slightly in different ovens.) Remove cakes from the oven, and cool them for a couple of minutes. Loosen slightly; cakes or muffins should shrink away from the sides of the pans slightly.
Unmold and glaze with ganache or dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh raspberries, strawberries or a dollop of whipped cream.
For ganache, chocolate can be broken into chunks and chopped in a food processor. Place in a medium-size mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the cream to just under a boil. Watch this carefully. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let it stand for 30 seconds, then blend with a rubber spatula. Begin from the center and work outward so mixture comes together smoothly.
Let the mixture stand and come to room temperature before using. Spread over cakes. (Ganache can be used like a glaze while it is still warm or like an icing after it comes to room temperature.)