Chocolate Malt Cake

This is a chocolate lovers MUST! A friend brought this tasty treat to scrapbook night, she found the recipe over at Family Favorite Recipes. I know why it is a favorite, it was delicious!

Chocolate Malt Cake:

2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1 c. malted milk powder (can be found by the instant breakfasts)
1 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Malt icing (see recipe below)
Chocolate ganache (see recipe below)
Malted milk balls (Whoppers)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter & flour 2, 9-inch baking pans (you may have a little leftover to make a cupcake or two if you want). In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, combine milk and malted milk powder, stirring to dissolve. Add milk mixture, oil and eggs to flour mixture, beating at a medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla, beating just until combined.
Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on racks. Frost cakes, pour on ganache (after you pour the ganache over the cake. Place the entire cake in the refrigerator and let cool for at least an hour), and garnish with malted milk balls.

Chocolate Malt Icing:

1 1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. milted milk powder
7 1/2 c. powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter and cocoa powder at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. In a small bowl, combine cream and malted milk powder, stirring to dissolve. Add cream mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed to combine. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth.

Chocolate Ganache:

16 oz. bittersweet (or semi-sweet) chocolate (we used chocolate chips)
2 c. heavy whipping cream

Place the chopped chocolate into a medium-sized bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer; be careful not to allow cream to boil over. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds or so. Using an electric mixer, beat on low until chocolate mixture is smooth. Use as is for glazing.