Chocolate Truffle Cake for 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 was looking for something else. Always a nice surprise! Now I have a vaguely organized system for articles and recipes on my computer.

This recipe appeared in the Daily Mail at Easter in 2009 (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 milk
1/2 cup corn or vegetable oil

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

Directions
Preheat oven to 350  F.
Grease two 8 inch cake pans, and dust with flour.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder into large mixing bowl.
Add remaining cake ingredients and beat well until 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 wire rack.
To make truffle mixture, put cream in a saucepan and place over 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 two layers together with jam. Frost with truffle mixture, leaving enough to make 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