White Chocolate Truffle and Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 ounces chocolate
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
• vegetable oil cooking spray
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 cups chilled whipping cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 lb good-quality white chocolate, finely chopped (such as Lindt or Baker’s)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 tablespoons Amaretto or 4 tablespoons other almond liqueur

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with foil. Stir together 6 ounces of chocolate and 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, tilting the pan to create an irregular 14×9-inch rectangle. Refrigerate until just firm, about 12 minutes.
2. Spray assorted star-shaped cookie cutters with nonstick spray, then cut out stars from the chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the stars one at a time to another foil-lined baking sheet using a small offset spatula. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
3. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides and line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter the parchment.
4. In a heavy medium saucepan, stir 4 ounces of chopped unsweetened chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth. Allow it to cool slightly.
5. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup unsalted butter until well blended. Beat in the lukewarm melted unsweetened chocolate and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.
6. Gradually mix in the dry cocoa powder mixture in three additions, alternating with 1 1/2 cups whole milk in two additions, until combined. Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each pan to loosen the cakes, then turn them out onto racks to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.
7. For the filling and frosting, bring 1 cup of cream and 1/4 cup of unsalted butter (cut into pieces) to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts. Remove from heat, add 1 pound of finely chopped white chocolate, and stir until smooth. Whisk in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and pour 1 1/2 cups of the white chocolate filling into a small bowl. Cover and freeze until cold, about 2 hours. Let the remaining mixture stand at room temperature until lukewarm, about 20 minutes.
8. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 2 cups of chilled whipping cream with 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract in a large bowl until peaks form. Working in three batches, gently fold in the lukewarm white chocolate mixture. Refrigerate the whipped cream frosting just until medium peaks hold, folding occasionally, about 3 hours.
9. Brush 2 tablespoons of Amaretto over the top of each cake layer. Place one layer on a serving platter and spread the chilled 1 1/2 cups of white chocolate filling over it. Top with the second cake layer and spread the whipped cream frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Chill until cold and set, about 1 hour, or up to a day ahead, covered and refrigerated.
10. Arrange the chocolate stars decoratively atop the chilled cake before serving.