Chocolate cake with mayonnaise

Ingredients:

Cream

• 450 g dark chocolate granules
• 3 cups heavy cream
• A pinch of fine salt

Cakes

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 2 cups flour + extra for dusting the pans
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp. dry instant espresso coffee
• 1 and 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 120 g dark chocolate granules, melted

Preparation:

1. Cream: Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Then add the salt and stir until smooth. Refrigerate until the cream thickens, about 2 hours. Beat the cream with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it becomes fluffy, pasty, and slightly light in color.
2. Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch (22 cm) cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Dissolve coffee in 1 1/3 cups warm water.
4. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, vanilla, and eggs with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the mayonnaise and melted chocolate.
5. With the mixer running at medium-high speed, alternately whisk the flour and coffee mixtures into the egg mixture to form a dough. Beat in the ingredients in 4 additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Do not overmix the dough.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until the cakes are set, about 30 minutes. They should spring back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Transfer the cakes to wire racks and let them cool for 20 minutes. Then, remove the cakes from the pans, remove the parchment paper, and let them cool completely.
7. Cover the cake with cream: Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or large plate and spread 3/4 cup frosting evenly over it. Place the other cake layer on top. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. The cake can be assembled a day in advance. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.