Chocolate cake in a Can - Happy Birthday my better quarter

How many of you fall into the category of wives who do not appreciate their husbands much??.........well I surely do........I know........I am such a witch..........well........having said that........I am still not going to appreciate my husband just because its his birthday.........coz its just not ME.......and.......there is no way I am giving him an opportunity to fly too high ( I might change my mind if my husband surprises me with a Kitchen Aid cake mixer :)........oh my god I am such a witch.

All jokes apart.......Wish you a very Happy Birthday Shailesh......you know me very well to realize that I don't show much affection and you also know what is in my heart.......All I want to say is that you have given me a great gift and that is 'Patience'( I am still trying to master it).....you are a great friend ....and.......the best father ever.

I recently came across this author Debby Maugan Nakos who specializes in small batch baking.... and when I saw this recipe where the cake is baked in a can I was so amazed....it is just the perfect recipe if you are baking for two.....I had to try it out and just loved the idea.

Recipe source: Small batch baking

Ingredients  

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For Chocolate Cake 

• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp Egg, well beaten egg
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup + 2tbsp All purpose flour
• 1/3cup + 1tbsp Sugar
• 3tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 1/8 tsp Baking powder
• 1/8tsp Baking Soda
• 1/8tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp unsalted Butter softened

For Ganache

• 100 g Dark Chocolate (I used Bournville 40% cocoa)
• 100 ml Cream

Method

For Chocolate cake

1. Clean 2 cans (I have used 450g empty pineapple slice tin), remove the top and the paper around the can.Line the bottom with parchment paper, grease the sides with butter and dust with flour.Set aside.You can also use 4 muffin cases instead of a can. I have used one can and 2 muffin cases.
2. Preheat oven at 180 degree C
3. In a bowl mix in egg,milk and vanilla extract. Whisk till well combined.Set aside.
4. In a small bowl sieve flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda,salt and cocoa powder.
5. Add the softened butter and half of the milk mixture. Using a handheld electric beater ,beat on low speed till all the ingredients are combined and moist.Increase the speed to medium and beat till the batter is light and increased in volume(around 45 seconds)
6. Add remaining milk mixture and beat till well blended (20 seconds)
7. Transfer the batter into the 2 greased cans or 4 muffin cases and bake till done,when a toothpick inserted it comes out clean.20 minutes for cupcakes and 30 minutes for can. My cake in can took 40 minutes to bake completely.
8. Transfer the cans onto a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cake and invert the can and remove the cakes and let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting them.

For Ganache

1. Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate on high. After every 30 seconds remove the bowl from oven and mix the chocolate with a spoon and then pop it back in the oven and continue till the chocolate is melted.My chocolate took 1 minute 30 seconds to melt.Or melt over double boil.
2. Add the cream to the melted chocolate and mix till you have a smooth thick chocolate ganache. Cool this before  frosting the cake.

To Assemble

1. Place the cooled cake on a serving plate. Cut the cake to half  horizontally. Apply the ganache on top of the bottom half and spread evenly.Place the top half of the cake on the ganache and frost the whole cake.