Rich chocolate layers with a delicate crumb, a light almond buttercream and an amaretto infused ganache make this Decadent Chocolate Gateau Nicole worth the effort and the wait.

Decadent Chocolate Gateau Nicole…..What’s in a name?

By now, you know I border on saccharine sentimental. This cake is named in honor of my dearest friend, Nicole. We’ve been “Besties” since middle school. And although she lives halfway across the country, we have one of those friendships where the other just “knows” if there is a need to call. We can go months without connecting in some way, but we always pick up exactly where we left off. It’s an effortless, deep friendship. In crisis, one could ask the other to come the next day, and whether by car, train plane or donkey (ok, maybe not a donkey) we’d arrive no questions asked.

It takes time to build something so lovely. There are some deep, elegant layers. Some lightness to equal things out. It’s comfortable, down to earth and a little nutty. And perfectly paired with coffee. I’m talking about the cake…maybe our friendship. Probably both.

A little time. A little effort. A big payoff.

Don’t let the number of ingredients or steps in this recipe deter you. This Decadent Chocolate Gateau Nicole isn’t a difficult cake to make, but there are a few more steps than the average cake. It takes a little planning and time to prepare, but it’s worth the effort. Because there are several components to this cake, I will often prep the layers and buttercream a couple days in advance before making the ganache and finishing this Decadent Chocolate Gateau Nicole.

Cake Layers. It’s the sum of this cake’s parts that make it so good. The layers are very moist, with a light, delicate crumb. This is my go-to recipe when I want a chocolate cake. It also freezes well. When double wrapped in plastic it will keep for up to two months in the freezer.

A beautiful serving tray sits in the center of a pristine blanket of freshly fallen snow. Against the cool, crisp color of the while snow, sits this Decadent Chocolate Gateau Nicole. The richness of the chocolate cake layers, almond buttercream and chocolate ganache finished with toasted almond slices is stunning. — A beautifully finished cake

Almond Buttercream. The almond buttercream is a variation of my Easy Basic Buttercream recipe. This delicious buttercream calls for only a few ingredients and takes just 10 minutes to make. Its smooth texture is perfect for decorating cakes, cupcakes and cookies.

When making the almond buttercream, simply substitute 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract for the rum called for in the original buttercream recipe, and add 1 cup of toasted, ground almonds. The result is a light, delicate buttercream with great texture and almond flavor. It’s a perfect foil against the rich chocolate ganache that tops this cake.

Amaretto Ganache. When making the ganache, I like to add a little Luxardo Amaretto at the end before glazing. If you can’t find Luxardo at your local spirits store, you can use another amaretto or even substitute 1/2 tsp. of almond extract instead. However, I’m partial to the Luxardo brand for the fruit and vanilla notes it imparts.

Decadent Chocolate Gateau Nicole

Recipe by Maria Ostrander Course: DessertDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

servings

Prep time

hour

Cooking time

minutes

Because of the various components of this cake – layers, buttercream & ganache as well as finishing the cake – total prep time will be approx. 60 minutes. However, you can do it in stages to make it more manageable.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake
4 oz. unsalted European style butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. espresso powder
2 1/3 cups cake flour that has been sifted first and then spooned into the measuring cups.
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 cup boiling hot water
For the almond buttercream
Follow my recipe for Easy Basic Buttercream until you come to the rum.
1/2 tsp. almond extract (instead of the rum)
1 cup toasted, sliced almonds that have been ground fine.
For the amaretto ganache
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60 % cocoa)
2 tsp. amaretto liqueur
For finishing the cake
1 cup toasted, sliced almonds, cooled (see notes below).

Directions

Prepare the cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8 inch cake pans by spraying the sides with nonstick spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl or 5 quart stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugars a little at a time until fully incorporated.
Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time. With a spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition.
Add the melted chocolate, vanilla and espresso powder. Scrape down the bowl.
Add half of the sifted cake flour and the salt and baking soda. Blend on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides.
Add half the sour cream and blend on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the remaining flour and sour cream.
On the lowest setting, gradually add the cup of hot water to the batter until thoroughly incorporated. The batter will be very runny and that’s ok.
Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 50 – 55 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Do not over-bake.
When ready, remove the cake layers from the oven. Allow them to rest in their pans for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife along the inside of the cake pan to loosen the layers from the sides of the pan before inverting them on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Once completely cooled, wrap the layers in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the cake.
Prepare the almond buttercream
Consult my recipe for Easy Basic Buttercream.
Follow the recipe as directed up until it calls for the rum. Substitute 1/2 tsp. of almond extract for the rum.
Add 1 cup of toasted, ground almonds after adding the almond extract and beat until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy. Set aside until you are ready to ice the cake.
Prepare the amaretto ganache
In a heavy-bottom sauce pan, bring the cream to a simmer, just below the boiling point.
Remove the hot cream from the heat and add the chocolate chips. With a whisk, stir constantly until the chocolate is dissolved and completely smooth.
Once the chocolate mixture is completely blended, gently mix in the amaretto. The chocolate ganache is ready for glazing when it is body temperature (see notes below).
For finishing the cake
Remove the cake layers from the refrigerator or freezer. Place the bottom layer on an 8″ cake circle. Using an icing spatula, add a layer of almond buttercream between the two layers and finish the sides and top of the cake with almond buttercream. Get the top and sides as even as possible, but it doesn’t have to be perfect since you’ll be glazing the cake.
Return the cake to the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up before glazing.
Place a wire rack over the center of a baking sheet. Place the iced chocolate cake over the wire rack and make sure it is positioned in the center of the baking sheet.
Working quickly, pour the warm ganache over the center and around the sides of the cake. Give the cake a light shake back and forth to guide the ganache over the sides of the cake and produce a smooth finish. Allow the cake to set for approximately 15 minutes before transferring.
Using an icing spatula, gently run the spatula between the base of the cake and the wire rack to clean up the edges.
Transfer the cake to a serving plate. At this point, you can finish with toasted almonds or serve simply glazed.

Notes

The recipe calls for glazing the cake when the ganache cools to body temperature. How do I know if the chocolate is the right temperature for glazing? A chef I knew many moons ago once taught me a little trick about chocolate. Raise it to your bottom lip. If it’s hot on your lip, keep stirring it until it cools down. If it feels the same temperature or slightly cooler than your own body temperature, it’s ready for dipping or glazing. This is how I learned to temper chocolate. To keep things sanitary, I keep a few toothpicks or plastic spoons nearby so I’m not double dipping the whisk or spatula back into the chocolate.
How do I toast sliced almonds? Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the 2 cups of sliced almonds evenly over a baking sheet. and place in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes. Check for color. If you like your almonds a little darker then give them another minutes. Once you’ve reached the desired color, transfer the almonds to a cool sheet. This will stop the cooking process. Otherwise, they will continue to brown if left on the hot sheet pan.
Make friends with cardboard cake circles. Cardboard cake circles make assembling a cake – especially one such as this – much easier. They provide support to this cake, which can become quite heavy from the ganache layer. Without a cardboard circle, it will be very difficult to transfer the glazed cake from the wire rack to a serving plate without it falling apart. You can pick up a small batch of cake circles at most hobby stores, major grocery stores or online.