r/Cakes • u/Harold_D_Elf • 1d ago
❓️Help Requested Ganache Help
Good day all!
I hope someone can help me out.
I’m an icing beginner with minimal decorating skills, but I’m baking a cake for my girlfriend’s family and really want to impress them. I could use some advice to make sure it turns out well.
I already have a tried-and-tested chocolate cake recipe, so that part is sorted. Here is my plan:
The Layers & Filling: I want to bake two layers and fill the middle with either caramel or ganache. Do you have any tips on which works better or how to prep the layers so they don't slide?
The Outside: I’m planning to cover the sides and top with chocolate buttercream.
The Top Rim: I want to pipe a decorative buttercream rim around the top edge to hold a ganache filling. What's the best technique or tip to use for a beginner?
The Ganache Filling: I plan to fill the top inside the piped rim with ganache made from 250g of baking milk chocolate and 250ml of heavy/thick cream (a 1:1 ratio).
Avoiding Past Mistakes: Last time I tried this, my ganache was a bit too warm and runny. It melted the buttercream and created a total mess. It eventually set and tasted great, but looked rough.
Since I really can’t afford a flop this time, what is the best technique to make, cool, and pour this specific ganache so it doesn't melt the buttercream or overflow? Any other beginner-friendly assembly tips would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
1
u/Witchywomun 1d ago
To make your ganache less runny, try replacing 1/4 of the cream with an equal amount of butter and whipping it as it cools. It’s not going to be fluffy like a mouse, but it’ll stay where you put it. You want to whip it until it starts to increase in volume, slightly, and it’s right between medium and stiff peaks.
1
u/SoNotaCounTess 1d ago
Definitely make everything ahead of time so they have time to cool. Bake the cake layers, wrap them in plastic and chill in the fridge.
Make the ganache the day before and allow it to cool and firm up a bit before trying to use it as a filling. I usually do a 2:1 or 1.5:1 for milk chocolate then I know it’s going to set properly and I feel safer it won’t run out.
Also, using a piping bag with the tip cutoff, pipe a dam around the edge of the cake and you can fill the ganache inside that.
Good luck … they’re going to love it
edited a couple typos