When I want a moist, rich chocolate cake I make a simple syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar and water) with cocoa powder whisked in and cooked until syrupy. I cut the tops off the cakes to level them and then use a pastry brush to brush the top and sides of each layer with the syrup. I wait for that to sink in, and then cover it all with ganache.
That's odd, I've never encountered something like that before...the only thing I could think of is that the ganache absorbed into the cake and then set, possibly disrupting the cake's structure? That sounds crazy. Were the cakes chilled?
I made a four layer chocolate cake - two layers were red velvet, 2 dark chocolate fudge. between the layers and over the top I poured a chocolate ganche sauce. Then I let the remaining ganache cool and get fudgy and I frosted the entire cake. When the layer cake was cut the next day, the cakes were dry and "fluffy", crumbly. I made six cakes total. The two cakes without ganache (one red velvet and one chocolate fudge) are still moist 5 days later. The only difference in how they were handled, stored etc. is the ganache, so I am assuming I did something wrong.
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