Here is the recipe for Sheena's favorite chocolate cake. She has been very patient waiting for it! I really, really wish she was here and I would gladly make it for her every day. (Warning: if you eat too much of it, you will be awake for a long time. For that reason, it's great for breakfast :)
Chocolate Truffle Cake
From Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Desserts 1991
16 servings
Begin 3 hours before serving or day ahead
Ingredients:
2 8-oz packages unsweetened chocolate squares (16 1-oz squares)
1 cup plus 6 T. margarine or butter (2 1/4 sticks) at room temp.
3 large eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 2/3 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 cups. confectioners' sugar
3/4 c. heaving or whipping cream
10 1-oz squares semisweet chocolate (I only use 8 squares b/c I don't grate the last 2 squares on top of the cake, see step 11)
Rose for garnish (optional)
Directions:
1. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. (I use cooking spray. Then I cut out 3 circles of wax paper to fit in the bottom of each pan, then spray again. It ensures that the cakes will slide out easily!)
2. In heavy 4-quart sauce pan over low heat, heat 12 squares unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup margarine or butter (2 sticks), and 2 1/2 cups water, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
3. In large bowl, with wire whisk or fork, beat eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in warm chocolate mixture.
4. To chocolate mixture, add flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; continue beating with wire whisk or fork until batter is smooth and well blended.
5. Pour batter into cake pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in ceanter of cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool cakes completely on wire racks.
6. Meanwhile, prepare truffle mixture: In heavy 2-quart saucepan over low heat, heat remaining 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, stirring frequently, until melted; cool slightly. With spoon, stir in confectioner's sugar, remaining 6 T. of margarine or butter (3/4 stick), and 1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream until mixture is smooth and blended. (Don't use mixer, it gets too crumbly!)
7. Prepare glaze: In heavy 2-quart saucepan over low heat, heat 8 squares semisweet chocolate and remaining 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream, stirring frequently, until melted, smooth, and slightly thickened, keep warm.
8. Assemble and glaze cake: (I put the cake on a large plate or serving dish before assembling it so I don't have to transfer it later when it's really big and heavy).
With metal spatula, spread 1 cake layer with 1/2 c. truffle mixture. Top with second cake layer, pressing down gently but firmly. Spread with another 1/2 cup truffle mixture; top with 3rd cake layer.
Glazing cake: Over assembled cake, pour prepared glaze. With metal spatula, spread glaze to completely cover top and side of cake.
9. Refrigerate cake until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.
10. Remove cake to plate (mine is already on the plate, I put it on a large plate before step 8).
Piping border (optional, it does cover the messy bottom of cake, you could also use whipped cream instead of truffle mixture): With rosette tube, pipe border of remaining truffle mixture around bottom of cake.
11. Grate remaining 2 squares semisweet chocolate; sprinkle around top edge of cake. Garnish with rose. (I don't do either of these. Mine isn't as fancy. I think I usually pipe more truffle stuff around the top edge of the cake too, or just leave it plain).
