Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I cannot believe my luck that typing in "truffle cake" on the web will result to the actual recipe of the cake I'm trying to recreate. I'm talking about the Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake from Papa Haydn in Portland, Oregon. This cake is what I ordered when I visited my friend Shiela and her family. After dinner, we took off for a heart to heart talk over two slices of cake and two cups of tea as we were won't to do way back then. Jeff, her husband was happy enough to keep an eye on their little baby at home while we poured out our fears and talked about life just like old times.

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

The truffle cake was good but I always thought, it could be better. Don't get me wrong, the cake was delicious. However, it came sliced probably about 1/4 of an inch so you cannot really savor the cake itself other than the chocolate layers. The cake was covered in dark chocolate ganache which was delicious due to the fact that it was not overly sweet. The recipe I'm using to recreate the cake is from Kimberly Sklar and was apparently born out of a happy accident. I chose this since it closely resembled the one I had in Portland but I have to say, this version is a bit on the sweet side so I'm anticipating a second version at some point that is heavily modified. The cake is good but just too sweet for my liking. 

Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake - Adapted*

Cake:

10 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp espresso powder
1 cup water
2/3 cup crème fraîche
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

White Chocolate Ganache:
1 lb white chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Dark Chocolate Ganache:
2 2/3 cups plus 4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/4 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tbsp brandy

Milk Chocolate Ganache:
1 lb milk chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tbsp brandy

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 15-by-12-inch jelly roll pans and 
    line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, melt 6 
    ounces of the chopped chocolate with the butter and vanilla over very 
    low heat, stirring gently. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat 
    and let cool slightly.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the cocoa with the water and bring to a 

    boil, whisking constantly. Let cool slightly, then whisk the mixture into 

    the melted chocolate. Whisk in the crème fraîche.

3. In a large bowl, beat the whole eggs, egg yolks and both sugars at 

    medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the 

    chocolate mixture. 

4. Sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt over the 

    chocolate mixture and fold into the cake batter with a large spatula until 

    fully incorporated. Fold the remaining chocolate.

5. Spread the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the lower 

    and middle third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the centers 

    spring back when lightly pressed. Shift the pans halfway through baking. 

    Let the cakes cool completely in the pans.

6. In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, heat the heavy cream until 

    small bubbles appear around the edges. Pour over the white chocolate 

    and butter in a small bowl and stir until the butter and chocolate are

    melted. Add the brandy and set the bowl in a cool place until the
    ganache is firm enough to hold its shape, at least 1 hour. Mix in the
    cocoa powder.

7. In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, heat the heavy cream until

    small bubbles appear around the edges. Pour over the milk chocolate 

    and butter in a small bowl and stir until the butter and chocolate are

    melted. Set the bowl in a cool place until the ganache is firm enough to 

    hold its shape, at least 1 hour.

8. In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, heat the heavy cream until 

    small bubbles appear around the edges. Pour over the dark chocolate 

    and butter in a small bowl and stir until the butter and chocolate is 

    melted. Add the brandy and set the bowl in a cool place until the 

    ganache is firm enough to hold its shape, at least 1 hour.

9. Cut out a 5-by-11-inch cardboard rectangle. Place a sheet of parchment 

    or wax paper over each cake and top with a flat cookie sheet or cutting 

    board. Invert the cakes and remove the pans. Keeping the paper 

    attached, trim each cake to an even 15-by-11-inch rectangle, then cut 

    each cake into three 5-by-11-inch rectangles; you will have 6 rectangles.

10. Spoon a small dollop of the milk chocolate ganache onto the cardboard 

    rectangle and transfer one cake rectangle to it; peel off the paper. This 

    will be the base. Spread half of the white chocolate ganache on the base 

    and top with another cake rectangle. Peel off the paper and spread a 

    fourth of the dark chocolate ganache on the cake and top with another 

    cake layer, peeling off the parchment. Spread with 1 1/4 cups of the milk 

    chocolate ganache. Repeat with 2 more layers, peeling the parchment off 

    the cake rectangles and spreading them with the remaining white 

    chocolate ganache and dark chocolate ganache. 

11. Keep the sides even as you build the cake by smoothing them out with a 
    metal cake spatula. Top with the final cake rectangle and peel off the 
    parchment. Coat the sides and top of the cake with a smooth layer of 
    chocolate frosting. Refrigerate briefly to set the cake and spread with 
    the remaining dark chocolate ganache over the cake. Carefully transfer 
    the cake (on its cardboard base) to a platter and refrigerate until firm. 
    Using a hot knife, cut the cake into slices while cold and let come to 
    room temperature before serving.

*Kimberly Sklar Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake