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chocolate truffle cake

★★★★★ 11 Reviews
angiemath avatar
By Angela Gray
from Bristol, TN

I made this for my son, James' 14th birthday party and it was a big hit. The idea came from combining several different cake recipes and a little imagination. The cake is super moist but holds its shape beautifully under the rich chocolate silk frosting. Beneath each layer, there are 3, is a layer of rich chocolate ganache. To crown off the top of this beautiful cake, I used Lindt Chocolate Truffles, it is just so sinful and good! Trust me, it is worth the effort. ***Made cake # 2 for my sister's birthday, it was a big hit. She thought I had bought it at a bakery.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

What an insanely good chocolate cake recipe. People will absolutely think you got this from a bakery. The cake is moist and tender, but sturdy enough to hold the frosting and ganache layers. This chocolate frosting is rich and smooth. Where this cake gets special is the chocolate ganache filling. It's rich and chocolaty with a slight orange flavor. The rich Lindt truffles are the perfect topping and make the layer cake extra fancy. This cake will make a special occasion extra special. If you're a beginning baker, we'd suggest having someone help you in the kitchen. There are a lot of steps, but the outcome is the perfect cake for a chocolate lover.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
►
★★★★★ 11 Reviews
serves 12
prep time 2 Hr 30 Min
cook time 40 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For chocolate truffle cake

  • RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE (3 LAYERS)
  • 1 c
    cocoa, unsweetened
  • 2 c
    boiling water
  • 1 c
    butter or margarine, softened
  • 2 1/2 c
    sugar
  • 4 lg
    eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    pure vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp
    baking powder *not a typo, just 1/2 tsp.
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING WITH GRAND MARNIER
  • 9 oz
    semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 c
    heavy cream
  • 1/2 Tbsp
    Grand Marnier
  • 2 tsp
    grated orange zest
  • SATINY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
  • 6 oz
    semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 c
    milk
  • 1 c
    (2 sticks) butter or margarine
  • 2 1/2 c
    powdered sugar
  • CAKE GARNISH #1
  • 1
    bag of Lindt truffles, milk chocolate and white chocolate
  • 1 lg
    jar of chocolate jimmies/chocolate sprinkles
  • CAKE GARNISH #2
  • 1
    bag M&M's of your choice
  • 1 c
    creme filled Pirouettes (Pepperidge Farm), 27 oz.
  • ribbon

How To Make chocolate truffle cake

  • Cake pans greased and lined.
    1
    FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 9-inch layer cake pans (I use Wilton, they are the best). Cut out circles of wax paper and line bottom of pans. If you have Wilton Bake-Even Cake Strips, use them. If not, you will have to level cakes after they are cooled.
  • Boiling water and cocoa in a bowl.
    2
    Combine boiling water and cocoa. Stir until smooth. Set aside in the fridge to cool.
  • Butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla creamed together in a bowl.
    3
    Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla at high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 5 min is perfect).
  • Dry ingredients whisked together in a bowl.
    4
    In a separate bowl combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt.
  • Adding some flour to the creamed butter.
    5
    Alternately add flour.
  • Slowly adding the cocoa mixture.
    6
    Then cocoa mixture beginning and ending with flour.
  • Batter mixed until just combined.
    7
    Do not overbeat or cake will be tough!
  • Batter poured into the pans.
    8
    Pour batter into prepared pans.
  • Chocolate cake baking in the oven.
    9
    Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 or until top springs back. Do not overbake!
  • Chocolate cakes cooling in the pan.
    10
    Cool in pans 10 minutes.
  • Cake put into the freezer.
    11
    Then flip out onto a large plate and put in the freezer. Don't worry, I know what I am doing. This keeps the cakes from falling apart and won't leave crumbs in your icing.
  • Chocolate in a bowl.
    12
    GANACHE FILLING: Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
  • Cream heating in a saucepan.
    13
    Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Watch very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot.
  • Pouring cream over chocolate.
    14
    When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chocolate chips.
  • Whisking until ganache is smooth.
    15
    Whisk until smooth.
  • Grand Marnier and orange zest added to the bowl.
    16
    Stir in the Grand Marnier and the orange zest.
  • Beating the ganache with a hand mixer.
    17
    Transfer hot chocolate to a relatively deep stainless steel bowl and immerse it into a bowl of ice water. Then whip with a hand mixer until it is thick and fluffy.
  • Prepared ganache in a bowl.
    18
    Once it is desired consistency, take out of ice bath or it will continue to harden; set aside.
  • Chocolate chips, milk, and butter combined in a saucepan.
    19
    SATINY CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Combine chips, milk, and butter in a LARGE saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth.
  • Powdered sugar added to the bowl.
    20
    Remove from heat; blend in powdered sugar.
  • Beating the frosting.
    21
    Set the pan (or transfer to a mixing bowl) into an ice bath; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer.
  • Frosting beaten until fluffy.
    22
    Stop occassionally to scrape down the sides. Mix until frosting is fluffy and holds its shape.
  • Proper consistency of the frosting.
    23
    It should make a peak with a spoon and hold it. Remove from ice bath or it will continue to harden!
  • Layer one of the cake on wax paper with ganache.
    24
    CAKE ASSEMBLY: Remove frozen layers from the freezer and put on a platter lined with wax paper strips to catch the mess. Place the first cake and spoon about half of the ganache.
  • Second cake on top.
    25
    Place the next cake on top of the ganache layer.
  • Remaining ganache on top of the second layer.
    26
    Spoon the rest of the ganache on top.
  • Third cake layer added and beginning to frost the cake.
    27
    Place the last cake on top. Frost the top with the satiny chocolate frosting first. Then start on the sides. Smooth top as much as possible with a flat knife dipped in hot water.
  • Chocolate sprinkles and truffles decorating the Chocolate Truffle Cake.
    28
    Take your chocolate jimmies (chocolate sprinkles). Gently take your hand and press them into the sides only. Continue until you have gone all he way around. Gently remove the wax paper strips and discard. Put remaining filling into a piping bag and pipe 12 medium size swirls on top of the cake. I used a #21 tip. Space them out before you start piping to make sure you get 12 and they are even. Top each swirl with a Lindt chocolate truffle and a white chocolate truffle, alternating. If the bottom of your cake is messy where you pulled out the paper, you may use the same tip to pipe a border around the base of the cake.
  • A slice of Chocolate Truffle Cake on a plate.
    29
    Chill in the refrigerator immediately. Before serving, let the cake set out at room temperature 30 minutes so the chocolate will soften back up slightly. Enjoy!
  • 30
    ALTERNATE GARNISH: Pipe a border around top and bottom lip of cake. Take Pirouette creme filled wafers and line them up around the sides of cake. (They do not have to be all the same height). Add M&M's to the middle of the cake . ***Finished Cake #2 in my photo #2 made in (3) 9-inch pans. Serves at least 14, huge cake.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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