Perfectly Moist Truffle Cake with Melted Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients For the Cake: 2 large eggs A pinch of salt 200g granulated sugar (1 cup) 10g baking powder ( 2 tsp) 50g cocoa powder ( 1/2 cup) 220g all-purpose flour ( 1 3/4 cups) 70ml vegetable oil ( 1/4 cup) 70ml milk ( 1/4 cup 1 tbsp) 150ml hot water ( 2/3 cup) For the Buttercream: 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature ( 1 cup ) 50g powdered sugar (1/3 cup) 100g melted dark chocolate ( 3.5 oz ) Instructions For the Cake: Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and line a 16 cm (6-inch) round cake pan with parchment paper. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy. Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until well the vegetable oil and milk, and mix well. Pour in the hot water and mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin, but that’s okay. To obtain a truffle-like cake, cover the baking tray with aluminum foil or a lid (until the end of baking) Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For the Buttercream: Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter until creamy and smooth. Add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add Melted Chocolate: Pour the melted dark chocolate and beat until well combined and smooth. Assembly: Level the Cake: If the cake has domed on top, use a serrated knife to level it. Fill and Frost: Slice the cake horizontally into two layers. Spread a layer of buttercream over the bottom layer, then place the top layer on top and frost the entire cake with the remaining buttercream. Decorate: Optionally, you can dust the top with cocoa powder, or add chocolate shavings for decoration. A wonderful idea would be cherries in chocolate, because now is their season, and they combine perfectly with chocolate! Chill: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the buttercream to set. Enjoy your homemade truffle cake!