Chocolate Buttermilk Loaf with Chocolate Ganache

Cake

175g unsalted butter, room temperature

175g light brown muscovado sugar

2 large eggs

200g plain flour

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

1tsp salt

50g cocoa powder

50ml hot espresso 

100ml buttermilk 

Ganache

100g double cream

100g 63% dark cooking chocolate buttons

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 170ºC/150ºC FAN and grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin
  2. Cream butter and sugar together
  3. Add eggs, one at a time until fully combined
  4. Sieve flour, cocoa, bicarb and salt together.
  5. Combine half the flour mixture to batter and gently combine
  6. Add buttermilk to batter and gently combine 
  7. Add the remaining flour mix and once fully combined, pour over the hot espresso and mix until batter is smooth
  8. Pour batter in to loaf tin and bake for 40-50 mins. The cake will be cooked when a skewer inserted in to the middle of the loaf comes out clean
  9. Leave cake to cool in tin for about 10 mins before removing and leaving to cool fully on cooling rack 
  10. Make the ganache by heating the cream gently in aa pan until it simmers
  11. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate
  12. Leave the chocolate and cream to stand for a minute before gently stirring until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth
  13. Set aside to cool and stiffen up before using
  14. When cake is fully cool and the ganache has stiffened up to a buttercream-like consistency, using a spoon or spatula spread the ganache over the top of the loaf before serving. 

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Recipe by Sarah Fassnidge. Check out her site http://www.sarahfassnidge.com/ and see her work on Instagram @sssnidge