Chocolate Truffle Cake

It simply had to be this one… made by Mum! I’ve cursed the first day I ever made it, as I’ve had to ferry it to Dublin after being up all night making it. The legend lives on. Try it for yourself….

I’d advise making it in 2 stages in order to conserve your energy; – Make the cake one day, icing the following day and finish by decorating. It will keep well for up to a 5 days in a tin or wrapped in tinfoil.

Ingredients

• 150g (6oz) unsalted butter
• 150g (6oz) caster sugar
• 4 eggs – beaten together
• 8oz (200g) plain chocolate
• 125g (5oz) self raising flour
• 75g (3oz) ground almonds
• 175ml (6fl oz) cream
• 100ml(4fl oz) dark rum

Chocolate icing:

• 150g (6oz) plain chocolate
• 75g (3oz) butter
• 75ml (3 fl. Oz) single cream

Mocha cream filling

• 150g (6oz) margarine
• 175g (7oz) icing sugar
• 75g (3oz) cocoa
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 tablespoon coffee essence or strong coffee.

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 170C (325F) Gas 3. Line the base of two 8 inch(20cm) with greaseproof paper.
2. Sieve flour and add ground almonds. Place the butter and sugar into bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add a little of the eggs, then alternatively add some flour+ almonds. Beat well between each addition until all are mixed together.
3. Melt the plain chocolate and stir in the rum. Fold into the creamed mixture and mix carefully until smooth. Divide between the cake tins and level the top. Bake 45-60 minutes. Loosen with a knife and invert onto a wire rack to cool.
4. To make the mocha filling; – Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa together. Beat the margarine and add the sugar/cocoa bit by bit. Add rum and coffee essence and mix to a creamy consistency.
5. When cake is cool sandwich the layers together with the mocha filling.
6. To make the icing:- Place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Heat gently stirring until melted. Cool then pour the icing over the cake to cover evenly. Leave in a cool place to set then decorate as you wish for Easter, Birthday or whatever occasion.

Alternative Suggestions:

Make double the quantity of mocha cream filling: Use this to decorate the sides and then roll the sides in sprinkles on grease proof paper. Pour over the icing and allow it trickle down the sides. Alternatively you can omit the icing and spread the mocha cream over the top and even use some to pipe and decorate with. For contrast you can pipe fresh cream or vanilla icing (Margarine beaten with icing sugar and vanilla essence). The photograph shows my daughter as a 2 year old in awe of her Easter Cake. The nest is made from mocha filling (with extra icing sugar and cocoa), the birds you have to buy.

Have a happy Easter!