Rose Levy Beranbaum's Chocolate Tomato Cake with Mystery Ganache

Serves: 16 Save

Ingredients (16)

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup tomato soup (preferably Campbell's, one can)
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons (or 2 3/4 cups) cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour), sifted into the cup and leveled off
  • 2 cups superfine sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • Mystery Ganache (recipe follows)
  • Special Equipment: Two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans, coated with shortening, topped with parchment rounds, then coated with baking spray and flour.
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate, 60% to 62% cocoa, chopped
  • Almost 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup tomato soup, preferably Campbell's
  • About 59 4-inch Pirouette Wafer Cookies, preferably Pepperidge Farm brand (2 cans, optional)
  • Red-tinted buttercream and red or clear piping gel (store bought is fine, optional)

Directions

Learn how to make this recipe at Serious Eats