"Hot" Chocolate Cake

Prep Time: 25min Total Time: 8hr 15min Servings: 24

Ingredients

Cake

1 1/2

cups sugar

1 1/4

cups vegetable oil

1 1/4

cups buttermilk

1 1/2

teaspoons vanilla

2

eggs

2 1/4

cups all-purpose flour

1/3

cup unsweetened dark baking cocoa

2

teaspoons ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 1/2

teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2

teaspoons baking soda

3/4

teaspoon salt

1 1/4

cups hot water or hot strong brewed coffee

Spicy Bittersweet Ganache

10

oz bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped

1 1/2

cups whipping cream

1/2

teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

White Chocolate Ganache

24

oz white chocolate baking bars or squares, chopped

1

cup whipping cream

1

tube (0.68 oz) red decorating gel

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9-inch pan with shortening. In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl often. Beat 2 more minutes on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.
• 2Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about2 hours.
• 3Place bittersweet chocolate in medium heatproof bowl; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream to simmering. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 teaspoon red pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Return whipping cream in saucepan to simmer. Pour over bittersweet chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Spread ganache over cake. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
• 4Place white chocolate in medium heatproof bowl. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup whipping cream to boiling. Pour over white chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Spread evenly over bittersweet ganache. Drizzle decorating gel in rows over cake. Pull toothpick through rows in opposite direction to create swirled pattern. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.