Chocolate Ginger Truffle Cake

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

As promised, here’s the chocolate truffle cake recipe.  Usually, I flavor the cake with strong brewed coffee (orange zest in the cake batter or raspberry jam between the cake layers is tasty, too), but for Thanksgiving dessert I thought as hint of ginger would be yummy.

Remember to take the finished cake out of the fridge a couple hours before serving.  The truffle filling sets up hard (a sharp knife dipped in hot water will do the trick) and you probably don’t want to take a chainsaw to your dessert.  While power tools add drama to the presentation, you’ll end up wasting a lot of cake.  No one wants that.

Chocolate Ginger Truffle Cake (adapted slightly from Forrest Gump: My Favorite Chocolate Recipes)  

1 c cocoa

2 c boiling water

2 ¾ c flour

1 ½ t grated ginger root

2 t baking soda

½ t baking powder

½ t salt

1 c butter, softened

2 ½ c sugar

4 eggs

1 ½ t vanilla

Truffle Filling

12 oz chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate

1/3 c butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 c powdered sugar

1 T egg substitute

½ t ground ginger

2 T milk

Chocolate Frosting

6 oz semisweet chocolate

½ c half and half

1 c butter

2 ½ c powdered sugar

To make the cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

Stir together cocoa and water until smooth.  Set aside.

Combine flour, ginger root, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Beat together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Be sure to incorporate each addition thoroughly.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes spring back with a light touch.  Cool cakes in the pans 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the truffle filling, melt the chocolate in a large bowl.  I microwaved it in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval. When the chocolate has melted, with an electric mixer, beat in butter and powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth.  Beat in egg substitute and milk, then stir in ground ginger.

Immediately spread the truffle mixture between the cake layers.

To make the frosting, combine the chocolate, half and half, and butter in a large saucepan.  Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool for 20 minutes.

Put the bowl of frosting on a bowl of ice water and beat the mixture at medium speed until it reaches a spreading consistency.