Rich Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting and Truffle-Egg Nest

• Ingredients:
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Whipped Ganache Frosting
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 pound bar of milk chocolate
• Truffle Eggs

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 3-inch-high, 7-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. Coat parchment with cooking spray, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and espresso powders and water; whisk until dissolved. Whisk in sugar until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk until combined.

Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes. Unmold, and remove parchment; let cool.

Trim tops of cake layers level. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread with 1/2 cup ganache frosting. Place remaining layer, cut side down, on top. Coat top and sides with remaining cup frosting. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Put semisweet chocolate, cream, and corn syrup into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes. Pour over cake, and then refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Using a chef's knife, scrape milk chocolate bar at a 90-degree angle, forming enough curls and shards to measure 1 1/2 cups. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until ready to use.  *Very Important* When shaving chocolate heat  chocolate until it's warm but not melted.  It makes the chocolate more pliable and easier to shave long shards rather then thick chunks.  

Transfer cake to serving dish; form a nest with chocolate shavings on top, and fill with truffle eggs.


Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart