Chocolate Truffle Cake: Easter

I used to clip recipes out of the newspaper, especially around holiday time. Those recipes would fall out now and again when I opened a cookbook or looked for something else. Always a nice surprise! Now I have a vaguely organized system for articles and recipes online.

This recipe appeared in the Daily Mail at Easter two years ago (Jo Pratt's Chocolate Truffle Cake). I've converted (and adapted) the measurements for a US audience, but if you're in the UK, be sure and check back to the original recipe. To make this cake even more 'Easter-y", shape the truffles into oval 'eggs'!  You're going to love this cake. It''s really easy, too!

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE

Ingredients 
For the cake

3/4 cups self-rising flour
4 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
5 oz superfine sugar
2 1/4 tbsp golden syrup  (Lyle's is available at many stores/ do not substitute)*
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup mil
1/2 cup corn or vegetable oil

For decoration
1 cup whipping cream
11 ounces quality dark chocolate  (70-80% cacao)
1 1/4 ounces butter
Dash of salt
5 tbsp raspberry or apricot jam  (cherry is great, too!)
White chocolate to grate/peel over the top

Directions
Preheat the oven to  350  F.
Grease two 8 inch cake pans, and dust them with flour.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
Add remaining cake ingredients and beat well until you have a smooth, thick batter consistency.

Divide mixture between cake pans and bake in oven for 30-35 minutes, until just firm to touch. Leave to cool in pans for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

To make truffle mixture, put cream in a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Once cream is hot, but not quite boiling, stir in butter until melted. While cream is heating, break chocolate into small pieces and place in medium-sized mixing bowl with pinch of salt. Pour over hot cream and butter, and stir well until chocolate melts into cream. Put aside.

Once cake is cool, sandwich the two layers together with jam. Frost with truffle mixture, leaving enough to make the 11 truffles. Place remaining mixture in refrigerator for about 30 minutes until firm. Roll into 11 truffles and place around top of cake. Finish by grating or peeling white chocolate all over the top.

Photo: Daily Mail 2009