Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Jam

Instructions

For the Cake:

1. Line a 7-in (18cm) round pan with parchment paper. Set it aside. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) for about 5 minutes before baking the cake. 
3. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir until well combined and set it aside. 
4. Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 5 to 7 minutes or until light and fluffy. 
5. Add the yogurt, oil, and vanilla. Stir with a wire whisk until well combined. 
6. Sift the dry ingredients over the mixture in two additions, folding gently after each addition until just combined. Don’t overmix the batter. 
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
8. Let it cool completely at room temperature. 
9. Cut the cake into three equal layers. 

For the Simple Syrup:

1. Combine the boiling water and sugar in a small jug. Stir until completely dissolved. 
2. Let it cool completely, and transfer it to a small bottle to moisten the cake. If you don’t have the proper bottle, you can use a spoon to pour the syrup all over the cake. 

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1. Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Melt using a double boiler or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth. 
2. Add the butter and stir gently until well combined. The heat of the chocolate will melt the butter. 
3. Let the ganache sit at room temperature for about 1 or 2 hours to set. You can refrigerate it for about 30-40 minutes to speed up the process, but make sure to stir the ganache every 10 minutes until the desired consistency. Don’t refrigerate for too long, or it will be hard to spread. 

For the White Chocolate Filling:

1. Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Melt using a double boiler or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth.
2. Add the jam and stir to combine. Make sure to use a thick jam. Otherwise, the white chocolate filling won't firm up properly.
3. Let it cool completely at room temperature or refrigerate for about 10-20 minutes.

Assembling the cake:

1. Place the top layer of the cake, bottom-up, onto a serving plate. Tightly adjust an acetate collar or cake ring around the cake. Drizzle the syrup and spread about 150g of the semi-sweet ganache on top. 
2. Place the second cake layer over the ganache, drizzle syrup on top, and spread the white chocolate ganache filling. 
3. Finish with the last cake layer and drizzle syrup on top. 
4. Refrigerate for about 2 hours to set. Keep the remaining chocolate ganache in an airtight container at room temperature. 
5. Remove the acetate collar and spread a thin layer of ganache all over the cake. If the ganache is too thick, microwave it for about 5-10 seconds until the desired consistency.
6. Decorate the cake using a piping bag with a 1M piping tip. 
7. Stir the jam to loosen it up and spread it over the top of the cake. 
8. Keep the cake refrigerated and remove it from the fridge about 20-30 minutes before serving.