For the real hard-core chocolate lovers; this wicked windmill chocolate cake is a true masterpiece that’s guaranteed to wow your guests.

this

Wicked Windmill Chocolate Cake

Yield: Serves 12-16

Ingredients

Make the Devil’s Food Cake and Chocolate Fudge Frosting following the instructions in the posts.

Place one of the cakes flat side up on a piece of cardboard that’s exactly the same size as the cake. While thisprecaution isn’t absolutely mandatory, it will greatly help support your cake later when you need to hold it in one hand to cover the sides in chocolate chips.

Using an offset spatula cover that cake with a generous layer of frosting, then repeat with the remaining two layers.

Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of icing, making certain that you completely fill the cracks between the layers as you go.

Then, go back and cover your entire cake with a fairly generous amount of frosting, smoothing the sides and top as best you can.

Now to cover the side of the cake with mini-chocolate chips: hold the cake in your non-working hand and, with your other hand, press the mini-chocolate chips against the cake. Work over a large bowl to catch the chocolate chips that won’t adhere to the cake.

Meanwhile, make the windmill blades: place the chocolate and peanut oil in the microwave, and melt it in 30 second bouts, stirring well between each round, until completely melted. Don’t allow the chocolate to become hot.

Line a small baking dish or sheet of roughly 7″ x 9″ with plastic film, trying to keep wrinkles at a minimum; pour the melted chocolate in the pan and delicately tilt it from side to side and give it a little shake to spread the chocolate in an even layer at the bottom of the pan. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate is completely set, about 30 minutes. You will know that the chocolate is ready when the top is no longer shiny.

Once set, lift the chocolate plate from the pan; remove the plastic film and place it on a cutting board. With a sharp chef knife, cut it into a 6″ x 8″ rectangle, and then cut this rectangle into six 2″ x 4″ smaller rectangles. Now cut each individual rectangle into 2 identical right triangles. You should now have 12 chocolate triangles. Send them to the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Now, make the chocolate ganache: In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped chocolate, heavy cream and butter and place that in the microwave for 1 minute. Allow to rest for 1 full minute and then stir for 1 minute. If there are still lumps of unmelted chocolate left after that, repeat the process but for 30 seconds this time, and continue doing that until the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is fully combined without feeling hot to the touch.

Take your cake out of the fridge and pour about 1/4 of the ganache over the top. Spread it delicately all the way to the edge, pushing it slightly past the edge to create little drizzle down the sides of the cake. Repeat the process with the rest of the ganache, using about the same amount each time. You should need to make 4 to 5 passes total. Send the cake to the fridge until the ganache is set, about 15 minutes.

Equip a 16-inch pastry bag with a large French star tip (I used an Ateco #868) and fill it with chocolate frosting. Pipe 12 large rosettes around the top of the cake and then carefully position a triangle of chocolate between each rosette, right angle facing out, to mimic the blades of a windmill. Trim the little pointy end of the triangles if you have to.

Pipe a final rosette in the center of the cake and garnish with a handful of mini-chocolate chips, if desired.

Serve at room temperature (take the cake out of the fridge 2 to 4 hours prior to serving)

Did you find this post useful? Want to get back to this page later? Save THIS PIN below to your Recipes board on Pinterest!

this