Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 12-16 servings
 
Rich pound cake layers with delicious fluffy frosting and a rich whipped chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake:
  • 12 ounces (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 8 ounces regular cream cheese
  • 1 pound 6½ ounces granulated sugar (~3 cups)
  • 6 eggs at room temperature
  • 11½ ounces (~3 cups) cake flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 ounces (~1 cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Basic Vanilla Buttercream with Shortening for filling:
  • ¾ cup shortening
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped Ganache Frosting:
  • 1 pound semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans; line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease and flour the parchment paper; set aside
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and creamy; add sugar and beat mixture until light and fluffy; scrape the sides of the bowl
  3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed between each one until incorporated; mix in vanilla on medium speed until combined and then scrape the sides of the bowl
  4. With mixer on low, slowly add the flour and the salt just until combined; do not overmix
  5. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in chocolate chips
  6. Pour batter into prepared baking pans and bake 40-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center of each layer; edges will brown slightly; do not overbake
  7. Set aside cake to cool and prepare filling and ganache
  8. Once cake has cooled, carefully remove layers from pans; run a knife around the edge of each layer for easier removal
  9. Frost bottom layer with filling and top with second cake layer; frost entire outside of cake with whipped ganache
Basic Vanilla Buttercream with Shortening for filling:
  1. Beat shortening in electric mixer on high speed for several minutes until light and creamy; add powdered sugar and mix on low for one minute; scrape sides of the bowl and add vanilla; beat on high speed until light and fluffy; use immediately or covered in refrigerator up to five days; bring to room temperature before using
Whipped Ganache Frosting:
  1. Place chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl and set aside
  2. Pour cream into a medium heavy duty sauce-pan and place over medium heat; bring to boil and remove immediately
  3. Pour hot cream over chocolate, add salt, and let stand for 10 minutes
  4. Whisk mixture until smooth
  5. Chill ganache in refrigerator for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until ganache is thick in texture but not hard
  6. Once chilled, put ganache in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on high speed for about four minutes or until light and fluffy and paler in color
  7. Use immediately
Notes
Cake very slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Whipped Ganache Frosting from Martha Stewart
Cake layers can be made ahead of time; wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for one day or in freezer up to one month
Once frosted, serve immediately; cake can be stored in refrigerator up to two days covered lightly with plastic wrap; bring to room temperature before serving
Recipe by Keep It Sweet Desserts at http://www.keepitsweetdesserts.com/chocolate-chip-cream-cheese-pound-cake-with-whipped-chocolate-ganache/