The best and last cake recipe of the week

If you are from OHIO you will appreciate this cake, if you are not from Ohio you will love it anyway.

Buckeye Peanut Butter-Fudge Cake

There are Buckeye candies, peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate (a.k.a. Ohio’s unofficial state dessert). They’re the inspiration for this towering, multi-layered, ganache-drizzled cake:
Buckeye Peanut Butter-Fudge Cake.
Here it is again, star of stage, screen, and bowls of batter everywhere – espresso powder! This won’t make your cake taste like coffee (unless you add enough). It enhances the flavor of chocolate.
Set oven on to 350°F, to preheat while you make the cake batter.
Chocolate Cake
Put the following ingredients in a mixing bowl:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup Dark Cocoa or Dutch-Process cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Stir to combine.
Add 4 large eggs, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Beat till well combined; the mixture will be fairly thick.
Next, add 1 1/4 cups cold water, beating until smooth. As you can imagine, this has the potential to be a messy project. To avoid chocolate splashes, add water gradually, draping a dish towel over the top of the mixer, if necessary.
Get out two 8”x2” Round Pans Note: These pans need to be at least 2” tall; if you have non-standard, shorter 8” pans, substitute 9” round pans.
Spray the pans with your favorite non-stick spray. Then line bottom of each pan with parchment paper, and spray the parchment.
Divide the batter between the two pans.
Bake the cakes for 35 to 38 minutes (a bit less if you use a 9” pan), or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen their edges with a thin table knife.
Turn upside down onto a rack ……lift off the pan, and peel off the parchment. Repeat with the other layer.
Let the cakes cool completely;
Pick up one layer using a large spatula and transfer it to a piece of parchment or waxed paper or foil – so it’s not sitting directly on your counter. Use a long serrated knife to cut the cake in half around its circumference. You now have four separate layers.

Peanut Butter Filling
Put the following in a large mixing bowl:
4 cups (1-lb. box) confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix till well combined.
Gradually add 3/4 cup milk.
Filling should be smooth and easily spreadable (if too thick ad a little more milk, if too thin add more confectioners sugar until preferred consistency)
Put one layer on a serving plate. Spread about 1/3 of the filling ( a generous 10 ounces) on top
Repeat with the remaining layers. Put the final layer on top.
Note: You can anchor the layers with four bamboo skewers to avoid layers slipping
Chocolate Ganache Icing
Put the following in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup:
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Heat in the microwave till the cream is hot and the chocolate soft, stir until the mixture is completely combined. This takes a few minutes for the ingredients to blend completely. Be patient. Pour the ganache on top of the cake. Spread until smooth and dribbling down the sides.
It is best if the finished cake sets for a couple of hours – then serve to the fans while playing the Ohio State Buckeye Battle Cry. YUM!!