Chocolate Nest Cake

For Easter I made a chocolate nest cake. My mom’s family are huge chocolate lovers, so what better dessert to bring than a chocolate cake? It definitely took some time to complete, but it was worth it. The nest is made out of cut up chocolate bars. The robins’ eggs, in the middle, are truffles with a white chocolate shell. Surprisingly, they were super easy to make, but patience is key. The cake was very moist and chocolaty, but not over baring. I wrote this post in groups, starting with truffles, than cake, than the ganache (icing which is made out of chocolate and cream) and lastly assembly. For the recipe in one piece go to the bottom of the post and click read more.

EGG TRUFFLES

Note: You will want to make the eggs a day in advance because it involves a lot of refrigeration time in between steps (you can make them up to two weeks in advance).

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 
• 3 to 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• ¼  cup butter, room temperature
• 1 bag white chocolate chips
• Sky-blue gel-paste food coloring 
• Make sure gel-past. If you use liquid food coloring it will not allow the chocolate to stay at a melted consistency.

Simmer water in a pan. Place a heatproof bowl over the water.

Put bittersweet chocolate and cream into. Stir until smooth; remove from heat.

Stir in butter

      Pour into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until very cold and set but still pliable, about 2 hours.

Using a tablespoon, scoop balls of ganache.

Transferring them to baking sheets lined with parchment paper as you work. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

      Using your hands, roll each ball into an egg shape. Place in freezer until very firm, about 1 hour.

Place white chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

Stir until smooth; remove from heat.

       Divide between 2 medium bowls. Add food coloring to 1 bowl until desired blue shade. Add a few drops of food coloring to other bowl, and swirl lightly with a toothpick.

 Working with one at a time, dip half of the eggs in blue chocolate, then dip remaining eggs in swirled chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. As you work, transfer eggs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Truffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

       Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

GANACHE

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

          Put chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of stiff cream cheese, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk until fluffy and smooth

I used a 1 container of vanilla frosting from the store, for in between the two cakes. By using store bought frosting it helped hold the cake together and vanilla cut down on the chocolate taste just a bit. Also there was not enough Ganache for the center.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Take the bottom cake and ice the top with store bought frosting. Place the other cake on top

Frost the whole cake in the chocolate ganache.

A tip for frosting: before you set your cake down one the serving plate, take pieces of wax paper or parchment paper and set around the outside of the cake. This way you can frost the cake without getting your frosting on the plate. Once you are done frosting pull the pieces out from under the cake

To make the nest take 2 chocolate bars and cut thin strips the long way.

    Place chocolate in a nest formation on the top of your cake.

    Add three of the egg truffles in to the nest.

   Enjoy, refrigerate leftovers.

êêCritics Reviews êê

Meêêêê Paul êêêê momêêêêê dad êêêêê the rest of the fam’ êêêê1/2

Would I make it again…

          Yes, but the real question is; am I going to make it again, probably not. At least not looking like this. This was the best chocolate frosting I have ever had, so that is a for sure keeper. The truffles were really good and so was the cake. I am just not sure if I would ever make it all and put it all together again like this. There is only one Easter a year and I like to try new things, so maybe in a couple years. However I HIGHLY recommend this recipe for anyone who wants an amazing cake the looks just as good as it tastes!

 

TRUFFLES

Note: You will want to make the eggs a day in advance because it involves a lot of refrigeration time in between steps.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate  
• 3 to 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• ¼  cup butter, room temperature
• 1 bag white chocolate chips
• Sky-blue gel-paste food coloring 
• Make sure gel-past. If you use liquid food coloring it will not allow the chocolate to stay at a melted consistency.

1.       Put bittersweet chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth; remove from heat. Stir in butter.

2.       Pour into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until very cold and set but still pliable, about 2 hours.

3.       Using a tablespoon, scoop balls of ganache, transferring them to baking sheets lined with parchment paper as you work. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

4.       Using your hands, roll each ball into an egg shape. Place in freezer until very firm, about 1 hour.

5.       Meanwhile, put white chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth; remove from heat. Divide between 2 medium bowls. Add food coloring to 1 bowl until desired blue shade. Add a few drops of food coloring to other bowl, and swirl lightly with a toothpick.

6.       Working with one at a time, dip half of the eggs in blue chocolate, then dip remaining eggs in swirled chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. As you work, transfer eggs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Truffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

CAKE

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs 
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions                                        

1.       1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2.       2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3.       3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

GANACHE

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1.       Put chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of stiff cream cheese, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk until fluffy and smooth

I used a 1 container of vanilla frosting from the store, for in between the two cakes. By using store bought frosting it helped hold the cake together and vanilla cut down on the chocolate taste just a bit. 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

o    Take the bottom cake and ice the top with store bought frosting. Place the other cake on top.

o    Frost the whole cake in the chocolate ganache.

§  A tip for frosting: before you set your cake down one the serving plate, take pieces of wax paper or parchment paper and set around the outside of the cake. This way you can frost the cake without getting your frosting on the plate. Once you are done frosting pull the pieces out from under the cake.

o    To make the nest take 2 chocolate bars and cut thin strips the long way.

o    Place chocolate in a nest formation on the top of your cake.

o    Add three of the egg truffles in to the nest.

o    Enjoy, refrigerate leftovers.