Chocolate Cake Truffles are rich, bite-sized bits of chocolate cake mixed with chocolate buttercream frosting and drenched in pure chocolate. These truffles are perfect for Valentine's Day, Date Night, or any special celebration, and can be made into Chocolate Cake Pops, too!
30ounces(850grams)chocolate, dark or semi-sweet, chopped and preferably tempered (5 cups), see Recipe Notes
decorations, like cocoa nibs, sprinkles, etc
Instructions
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the canola oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. The batter will be very thick. Add the hot water and whisk again until everything is well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter to release any bubbles, then bake for 25 to 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely.
Make the frosting: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of milk, and vanilla. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes until the frosting comes together. Add more milk in 1 teaspoon increments if the frosting looks too thick.
Assemble the cake balls: Crumble the cooled cake into the frosting, making sure there are no large cake lumps. Turn the mixer to low and mix the frosting and cake crumbs together until everything is well combined.
Using a small cookie scoop, roll 1 tablespoon of the cake mixture into a ball. Place the balls on a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.
Chill the balls for at least 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour. Transfer the cake balls to a plate and keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to dip them in chocolate. You'll need the sheet pan for the dipped truffles to dry.
Coat the truffles: Melt the chocolate or coating in a microwave-safe bowl or in the top of a double boiler. If you're using pure chocolate, temper the chocolate for best results. If you're using candy coating, let it cool down for a few minutes before you begin dipping (if it's too hot when you dip, the coating will crack).
Remove 2 to 3 cake balls from the refrigerator at a time, keeping the rest cold. Dip the cake balls in the chocolate one at a time using a dipping tool to remove it from the bowl. Gently tap the truffle on the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off.
Transfer the truffle to the baking pan, turning it upside down and gently swirling it off the dipping tool. Top the truffle with any decorations while the coating is still wet. Periodically clean the dipping tool so the truffles release easily.
Repeat the dipping process with the remaining cake balls, working with 2 to 3 at a time. The candy coating will set within an hour, and chocolate sooner than that.
Storage instructions: Store the dry truffles in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them for up to 6 weeks once the coating has fully set. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Make-ahead instructions: You can make the cake a day ahead of time. Just cover and keep it at room temperature. You can also make the frosting a day ahead. Store it covered and keep it in the refrigerator, then take it out and let it come to room temperature for about an hour before use.
Notes
For the cake, you can use also use a 9- x 9-inch baking pan or 9-inch round springform pan if that's what you have on hand.You can use any type of cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process). Using dark chocolate cocoa powder will deepen the chocolate flavor even more.You can use pure dark, semisweet, or milk, or even white chocolate to coat the cake balls. It's best to temper the chocolate for the coating to get that nice "snap". For a quicker process, you can melt it down with ½ teaspoon vegetable oil to thin out so it's easier to use as a coating. And for a real shortcut, you can use a candy coating or candy melts (although it won't be in temper).You can use the same cake ball filling to make dipped cake pops. It's basically the same as the truffle, only using a lollipop stick to dip the cake balls instead of a dipping tools. Here's how:
Using a 2-cup measuring cup to hold the melted chocolate, dip a lollipop stick about ½-inch into the coating, then insert it into the center of the cake ball. Only push it about ½ to ¾ through.
Dip the cake ball into the coating until it is completely covered. Make sure the coating covers the base of the cake ball where it meets the lollipop stick. Very gently tap the stick against the edge of the measuring cup to allow excess coating to drop off.
Top the cake pop with any decorations while the coating is still wet. The best way to allow the coating to dry and set (without ruining the perfectly round cake pop) is to place them right side up in a large styrofoam block.