Chocolate Cherry Truffle Cake

Here's a special-occasion dessert they'll never forget, complete with ultra-rich chocolate cake and glaze, and finished with cherries on top.

Prep: 25 min | Bake: 55 min | Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (from 12 ounce bag)
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (from 14 ounce can)
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® chocolate fudge cake mix*
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 (4 serving size) box chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained on paper towel, chopped (3/4 cup)

Glaze

• Remaining sweetened condensed milk (from 14 ounce can)
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (from 12 ounce bag)
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon milk, if needed

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease with shortening and lightly flour** a 12 cup fluted tube cake pan.

Filling

1. In medium microwavable bowl, mix filling ingredients. Microwave on HIGH for 25 to 35 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth; set aside.

Cake

1. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat cake mix, water, oil, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, the eggs and pudding mix on low speed about 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly.
2. With rubber spatula, fold in cherries.
3. Spoon batter into pan; spread evenly.
4. Carefully spoon filling into ring over batter (do not let filling touch side of pan).
5. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted 1 inch from inside edge of pan comes out clean, top of cake feels firm to the touch and cake pulls away slightly from side of pan.
6. Cool for 15 minutes.
7. Place heatproof serving plate over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Cool cake completely, about 1 hour.

Glaze

1. In 1-quart saucepan, heat all glaze ingredients except 1 teaspoon milk over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
2. Stir in up to 1 teaspoon milk if necessary for glazing consistency.
3. Pour glaze over cake, allowing some to drizzle down sides.
4. If desired, garnish cake with white chocolate curls and whole cherries.
5. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

** For best results, use our Pan Release!

To freeze the cake 1 to 2 weeks ahead, make, cool and glaze the cake. Freeze it for about an hour, then cover the cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 weeks. To thaw, unwrap the cake and allow it to stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Garnish, if desired.

To make white chocolate curls, pull a vegetable peeler against the long side of the bottom of a block of vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark). If the curls break, place the block in a warm place for about 20 minutes to soften it for better curls.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 600 (Calories from Fat 230), Total Fat 25g (Saturated Fat 10g, Trans Fat 1/2g), Cholesterol 80mg; Sodium 530mg; Total Carbohydrate 85g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 65g), Protein 8g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4.00%; Vitamin C 0.00%; Calcium 15.00%; Iron 15.00%

Exchanges: 2 Starch; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 5 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 5 1/2

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Betty Crocker Kitchens