Lemon Cream Chocolate Ganache Cake

I was asked to create a birthday cake that combined lemon and chocolate. Not a flavour combination that would readily come to my mind but what the heck, I thought I’d give it a whirl. It was delicious!

The cake combines a classic Victoria Sponge Cake soaked in lemon syrup, filled with a combination of lemon custard mixed with whipping cream, covered in a thin layer of lemon buttercream frosting with a poured chocolate ganache over the whole thing. I then garnished it with chocolate curls, candied lemon zest and a candied lemon zest rose. I think it looks pretty good.

Begin by making a Victoria Sponge Cake

6 eggs separated, room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ tsp lemon flavouring
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sift together:
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
Beat egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until foamy and thickened.
Beat egg whites until foamy. Add ½ cup sugar gradually until eggs are stiff. Slowly and gradually fold in flour and baking powder until almost completely incorporated into the egg whites. Fold beaten egg yolks into batter along with flavourings until well blended but do not over mix.
Pour into greased and parchment lined 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until center springs back when touched. Cool completely and cut each layer in half horizontally.

Lemon syrup
Boil gently for about 10 minutes
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Strain through a sieve and set aside to cool. Divide into 2 equal portions You can reserve the candied lemon zest to garnish the cake. Just spread it out on some paper towels and let it dry.

Lemon Cream Filling
Scald 1 ½ cups whole milk in the microwave or on the stovetop along with the zest of 2 large lemons that has been very finely chopped. Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine
5 tbsp flour
1/3 cup sugar and a pinch of salt
Over medium flame slowly add the scalded milk whisking constantly.
Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto a slightly beaten extra large egg whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional minute or two until pudding consistency and remove from the flame. Stir in :
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of 2 lemons
Cover and allow to completely cool in the refrigerator. When it has completely cooled, if a skin has formed on your custard, remove it before continuing.
Whip to firm peaks
1 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Gently fold custard into the whipped cream. Do not over mix. Chill.

For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting
½ cup butter
5 cups icing sugar
remaining lemon syrup (after brushing all the cake layers with lemon syrup)
zest of one lemon finely chopped
milk
Combine icing sugar, butter and lemon zest together add lemon syrup and beat until smooth and has quite a thick consistency. Beat in a little milk of icing is too dense.

To assemble your cake.

Brush all of the layers of cake with lemon syrup .

Using a piping bag with just a coupler attached (no tip) pipe a ring of lemon buttercream frosting around the top edge of the first layer of cake.Fill the inside of the ring with the custard cream. Repeat for the next two layers and top with the last layer of cake. Using the remaining lemon buttercream frosting cover entire cake in a thin layer of icing. The cake must be completely chilled before covering with the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
1 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup scalded whipping cream
Heat gently over boiling water until smooth with absolutely no lumps.
Cover the entire cake with chocolate ganache that you can pour or spread over the entire cake. Decorate and garnish as desired.