You will need:

Ingredients for the Cake:

For the Ganache:

• 210ml water
• 55g Guittard Cocoa Rouge (Dutch- processed unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 220g plain flour
• 350g sugar
• 1¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 210ml full fat buttermilk
• 150ml vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 400g Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Baking Wafers)
• 300ml double cream
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 85g unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the White Chocolate Buttercream:

• 115g Guittard Choc-Au-Lait Baking Chips (white chocolate)
• 130g sugar
• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 340g unsalted butter, cut into 1/2in (12mm) cubes, at room temperature

1

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Butter two 20cm (8in) round cake pans.

2

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and add the cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth, then set aside to cool.

3

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. With a hand mixer, beat in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth, for about two minutes.

4

Add the cocoa mixture and blend until combined, about thirty seconds. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and let rest for thirty minutes at room temperature.

5

Bake for thirty to thirty-five minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and cool for thirty minutes.

6

Line a backing sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with sugar.

7

Using a knife, loosen the sides of the cake. Invert a wire rack over the top of the cake pan, and using both hands carefully flip the rack and pan together so the pan is upside down on top of the wire rack.

8

Gently shake the pan until the cake falls out, and set the pan aside. Invert a second wire rack on the bottom of the cake and flip back over so it is right-side up.

9

Repeat with the remaining cake layer, and let the cakes cool for about one hour. Place the cakes on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until the cakes are completely cold, about one hour.

10

TO MAKE THE GANACHE: Put the semisweet chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Set aside.

11

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup just to a boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Let the chocolate mixture stand for three minutes, then whisk until all the chocolate has melted.

12

Add the butter and stir until combined. Pour the ganache into a shallow, flat glass baking dish and let cool at room temperature for one hour, or until it is spreadable. At this point, you can wrap the ganache tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to one day.

13

TO MAKE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM: Melt the white chocolate chips using a hot water bath or the microwave oven. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the water if you used a hot water bath and set aside. Keep the water simmering.

14

Place the sugar, egg whites, and salt in a second heatproof bowl and set it over the simmering water (creating a second hot water bath). Whisk the sugar mixture continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very thin and warm, or until a candy thermometer reads 45°C.

15

Remove the bowl from the head and transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment (or to a large bowl if using a hand mixer with whisk beaters).

16

Whisk the sugar mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form, about five minutes, then turn the speed to low and mix until cool, about ten minutes.

17

Add the vanilla and butter on low speed. Add the melted white chocolate, in two additions, continuing to blend on low, until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the buttercream is smooth and shiny.

18

Using a serrated knife, cut both cakes in half horizontally, for a total of four layers.

19

Place one layer on a cardboard circle or a cake platter. Spread one third of the ganache on the cake. Carefully place the second cake layer on the ganache and repeat until you have four layers of cake sandwiching three layers of ganache. 20 Refrigerate the cake for thirty minutes.

20

Apply a ‘crumb coat’ (or first layer) of butter-cream by spreading one-half of the buttercream on the top and sides of the cake. You should be able to see some chocolate crumbs in the white frosting.

21

Chill the cake in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes to firm up the buttercream. Use the remaining half of the buttercream to apply the final coat. This time you won’t see any chocolate crumbs. It should be completely white.

22

This cake is best eaten the same day it’s baked. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.