Description

This Chocolate Terrine Cake is a rich, decadent dessert combining a silky chocolate terrine layered with moist chocolate cake and enveloped in luscious chocolate ganache. Perfect for chocolate lovers, this stunning cake features layers of intensely flavored chocolate mousse-like terrine and airy chocolate cake, finished with a glossy ganache and optional fresh raspberry garnish.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chocolate Terrine:

1 pound (450g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), finely chopped
1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For the Chocolate Cake Layers:

1 1/2 cups (192g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups (360ml) buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) boiling water

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
12 ounces (340g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

For Garnish (Optional):

Fresh raspberries
Chocolate shavings
Powdered sugar

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Instructions

Prepare the Chocolate Terrine: Melt bittersweet chocolate and cubed butter together over a double boiler until smooth. Let cool slightly. Separate eggs, whisk yolks with half the sugar until pale, then combine with melted chocolate. Add cocoa powder and vanilla. Separately, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form, then gradually add remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into chocolate mixture in thirds. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and pour in the terrine mixture. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Prepare the Chocolate Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk sugar, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Stir in boiling water until smooth. Divide batter evenly into pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Level tops if desired.
Prepare the Chocolate Ganache: Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until just simmering. Pour over chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Add softened butter and stir until glossy. Allow to cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes until spreadable.
Assemble the Cake: Remove chilled terrine from mold and slice into 1/2-inch thick pieces (8-10 slices). Place one cake layer on serving plate and spread with ganache. Arrange terrine slices over ganache, slightly overlapping. Top with second cake layer. Frost entire cake with remaining ganache, smoothing or texturing as preferred. Optionally chill cake for 30 minutes to set ganache.
Garnish and Serve: Decorate with fresh raspberries, chocolate shavings, or dust powdered sugar if desired. Slice and serve this rich, decadent chocolate terrine cake to impress your guests.

Notes

Be sure no yolk gets into egg whites to achieve perfect meringue peaks.
Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before mixing with egg yolks to avoid cooking them.
Folding the egg whites gently helps maintain the airy texture of the terrine.
Chilling the terrine overnight results in a firmer, sliceable texture.
Boiling water in the cake batter blooms the cocoa powder, resulting in a moister cake.
You can prep the terrine and cake layers a day ahead to save time.
Use a serrated knife to neatly level cake layers for even stacking.
The ganache consistency depends on cooling time—cool longer for thicker frosting.
Garnishing adds a fresh and elegant finish but is optional.