Recipe: Cheesecake Factory Blackout Cake (copycat)

Said to be close to Cheesecake Factory's Blackout Cake or Linda's Fudge Cake:

BLACKOUT CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract, divided use
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cup boiling water
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
3 pkg (6 oz each) semisweet chocolate chips (3 cups)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp butter, cut up
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup roasted almonds, diced (for garnish)

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Dust with flour, tap out excess.

In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup butter and sugar with electric mixer or medium speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla and beat until well blended. Add melted chocolate and beat 1-2 minutes; set aside.

Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture in two additions alternately with buttermilk. Beat until well blended. With mixer on low speed, add boiling water and beat until smooth (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes, then unmold onto racks and let cool completely.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
In a 2 quart glass measure, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat in a microwave oven on HIGH 3 minutes or until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, or until ganache holds its shape and is thick enough to spread on cake.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Cover a cake layer with a little more than 1/3 of chocolate ganache. Set second layer on top. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining ganache. Press almonds into side of cake. Refrigerate cake 3-4 hours, or until ganache is firm, before serving.

Source: 365 Great Chocolate Desserts by Natalie Haughton