Moist Chocolate Birthday Cake (Use the leftover cake from the sokolatina recipe)

Watch the Sokolatina video here:https://youtu.be/NQXquynLph0

Print the recipe here: https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/moist-chocolate-layer-cake/

Ingredients
1 (8 or 9-inch) round chocolate cake
For the Coffee Syrup:

1/2 cup (125ml) water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee
For the Pastry Cream:

2 cups (475ml) whole milk
4 tablespoons (40g) corn starch
3/4 cup (187g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream:

2 cups (500ml) heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
For the Ganache:

12 oz (340g) semi-sweet chocolate
1 and 1/2 cups (375ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions

Make the Pastry Cream:

Combine the milk, half of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat until steaming hot. Combine the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cream, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the hot milk to the egg mixture and whisk together. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat while whisking it comstantly until thickened. Pass the cream through a strainer that has been set over a large bowl. Cover the cream with plastic to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool.

The pastry cream can be chilled in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Whisk it together until smooth before spreading it on top of the cake.

Make the Syrup:

Combine all of the syrup ingredients (except the vanilla) in a small saucepan and whisk them together. Place the pot over high heat and as soon as it comes to a boil and the sugar melts remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Make the Ganache:

Add teh chocolate and coffee to a bowl and heat the heavy cream until scalding hot. Pour the cream over the chocolate and add the vanilla. Whisk together until smooth and shiny.

Make the Whipped Cream:

Add all of the whipped cream ingredients to a large bowl and whip until thick and creamy.

Assemble the Cake:

Add a few tablespoons of the chocolate ganache to the whipped cream and fold it in until combined. Make it as chocolatey as you like.

Place half of the pastry cream into a large mixing bowl and flavor it with the chocolate ganache. Add about a cup of the chocolate whipped cream to the chocolate pastry cream and mix with a whisk until combined to create chocolate Bavarian cream.

Using a serated knife, cut the cake into 2 layers. Place one layer onto a cake board or onto a serving platter. Brush the cake layer with a generous amount of the coffee syrup.

Fill a pastry bag that has been fitted with a large star tip with the chocolate whipped cream. Pipe a ring of chipped cream around the border of the cake layer.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of ganache on the center and top with half of the chocolate bavarian cream.

Carefully place the other chocolate cake layer on top and brush with the coffee syrup. Repeat the same process and then place the cake in teh freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Melt the ganache in the microwave until it has reached a thin and pourable consistency. Microwave at 10 second intervals as to not burn the chocolate.

Pour the ganache on top of the cream and let it drip down the sides of the cake.

Chill the cake in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Pipe chocolate whipped cream rosettes on top of the ganache after it has chilled and serve.

Kali Orexi!

Music Used:
Greek Sun Time (With Intro)
ITEM ID: 66582698
By: tonyanthony

Its All Greek
ITEM ID: 84456733
By: LowNotes