Low FODMAP Espresso Grand Marnier Chocolate Ganache Cake
This Low FODMAP Espresso Grand Marnier Chocolate Ganache Cake is made up of 4 layers of gluten-free chocolate cake, drizzled with Grand Marnier, filled with espresso buttercream and decorated with dark chocolate ganache. The one pictured was meant to evoke a “stump” for the Christmas holidays as a version of a classic Bûche de Noël, which is more of a horizontal log. You could spread or pipe the ganache anyway you like; it doesn’t have to be evocative of a tree stump.
While it looks fancy, the gum paste “mushrooms” and candied cranberries add interest, but are not necessary, and the components are fairly easy to make: cake, buttercream, and ganache. That said, this is a project for more experienced bakers.
Ingredients:
- 1 batch Easy Low FODMAP Chocolate Cake batter prepared
- 2 batches Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 4 to 5- ounces (115 g to 140 g) prepared white gum paste or marzipan, optional
- Cocoa
- ¼ batch Sugared Cranberries, optional
- ½ batch Low FODMAP Italian Meringue Buttercream, Espresso version, ready to use
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Grand Marnier
- Wilton 1M tip and pastry bag
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped green pistachios, optional
Preparation:
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Bake the Cake: Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Make the cake batter, dividing batter into two 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pans. There will be a little extra batter. I made 4 extra cupcakes; serve separately as an additional treat. Bake until done as directed in recipe. Cool on cake rack. Unmold onto cardboard cake rounds, wrap well in plastic wrap and store at room temperature until assembly.
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Make the Ganache and let is sit at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, at least overnight. Can be made 2 days ahead. Do not refrigerate.
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Make the gum paste or marzipan mushrooms, if using. I simply roll various sizes of “ropes”, cut into various “stem” lengths and then taper one end, while widening the other. The “caps” can be round, a bit triangular (pointed), or flat. For round or pointed, start rolling a ball, and leave as is, or elongate the ball into an oval with one end pointier. Then I used the end of a narrow spoon to insert and make a hole underneath the “cap”. You can use anything that is food safe and similar in shape. Just use your fingers to create the shapes you want, using the drawing as a guide. Moisten the top of the “stem” and place mushroom cap in top. For flat, ruffled caps, roll out gum paste or marzipan with a small gum paste rolling pin, cut out rounds with sharp cookie cutters/gum paste cutters, remove from surface and thin the edges with your fingers, creating a ruffled, wavy edge. These can drape over a moistened stem, and gently pressed to adhere. You can dip a dry finger in cocoa and rub it on the mushrooms to mimic “dirt”, either before or after forming them.
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Make Sugared Cranberries, if using. They can dry at room temperature until needed.
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Make the Italian Meringue Buttercream.
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Assemble The Cake: Split each cake horizontally in even layers, so that you have 4 cake layers. Drizzle first cake layer with Grand Marnier, spread with Espresso buttercream, top with 2nd cake layer, then repeat with all cake layers, ending with buttercream. Create a thin layer of buttercream on top and sides.
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Take a look at the diagram of piping pattern. You will be using the ganache to cover the top and sides using the pastry bag fitted with the 1M tip. Fill the pastry bag about two-thirds of the way with the room temperature ganache. Starting in the center of the top of the cake, pipe a spiral covering the entire cake top. Now pipe some round spiral “knots” here and there on the cake sides. I piped some lower on the cake, some midway, and some a bit higher. Pipe the vertical “bark” following the pattern suggested on the drawn diagram. The vertical designs should be brought a tad higher than the edge of the cake. There is no absolute right or wrong. Just go for it!
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Place the mushrooms, cranberries and pistachio “moss” here and there. Cake is ready to eat or may be kept at room temperature, under a high cake dome, for 24 hours.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
All recipes are based upon Monash University & FODMAP Friendly science at time of initial publication.
• Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly used to give it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are/were presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Currently FODMAP Friendly lists butter as containing no FODMAPs, which is more accurate to FODMAP content, and does not overlay government guidelines. Eat to your tolerance.
• Chocolate: Monash University has lab tested dark, milk and white chocolate all have low FODMAP amounts: 85% dark at 20 g; dark at 30 g; milk at 20 g; white at 25 g. FODMAP Friendly has also lab tested dark chocolate, milk and white chocolate. Their lab tests place low FODMAP servings for dark chocolate at 30 g, with a max low FODMAP serving size of 102 g (that contains dairy). Milk chocolate is 30 g with a 42 g max serve; white chocolate is also 30 g with a max low FODMAP serve of 42 g.
• Cranberries: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested cranberries. FODMAP Friendly has lab tested dried cranberries and gives them a “PASS” at 17 g or 2 tablespoons, with a maximum low FODMAP serving size of 19 g. On the Monash app you will find Dried Cranberries are given a Green Light low FODMAP serving of 1 Australian tablespoon, or 15 g. On the Monash website itself they discuss fresh cranberries and state that 130 grams fresh, which is about a scant 1 1/4 cups, should be tolerated well.
• Dairy: The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. It is, however, low in lactose. Many dairy ingredients are low in lactose, such as heavy cream and many cheeses.
• Eggs: Eggs are high in protein and do not contain carbohydrates, according to Monash University.
• Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is 1/4 cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine. As the fructose is never in excess of the glucose, white sugar will never be high FODMAP, even in large amounts.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. Foods will be retested from time to time; in the case of raw ingredients, such as fruits and vegetables, results may vary. All lab tested results are valid and represent a snapshot in time. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.