Truffle Temptation Cake

Serves around 10

ingredients

For the cake

• 250g (9oz) slightly salted butter
  
• 250g (9oz) dark soft brown sugar
  
• 4 x size 2 or 3 eggs
  
• 20ml (1 Tbs) golden syrup or honey
  
• 150g (5oz) carton of natural yogurt
  
• 250g (9oz) self-raising flour
  
• 40g (1 oz) Cadbury Bournville cocoa
  
• 40g (1 oz) ground almonds or hazelnuts
  
  

For the filling and icing

• 80ml (4 Tbs) cranberry or redcurrant jelly
  
• 200g bar of Cadbury Bournville chocolate
  
• 284ml (1/2 pt) double cream
  
• 20-40ml (1-2 Tbs) rum
  
  

For the syrup

• 125g (4oz) caster sugar
  
• 125ml (1/4 pt) water
  
• 80ml (4Tbs) dark rum
  
  

Also, you will require

• A 25cm (10 inch), round cake tin, preferably loose-based, greased and base-lined
  
  

For the truffles and decoration

• 100g bar of Cadbury Bournville chocolate
  
• 25g (1oz) slightly salted butter
  
• 60ml (3 Tbs) cream from the icing
  
• 25g (1oz) ground almonds
  
• 50g (2oz) icing sugar
  
• 75g (3oz) sweet biscuits, crushed
  
• 40ml (2 Tbs) rum
  
• 50g (2oz) glacé cherries dusted in sugar
  
• Chocolate leaves

Method

1. Make the cake by creaming the butter and sugar together. Gradually beat in the eggs, syrup or honey and yogurt and when well mixed, fold in the sieved flour and cocoa, and then the nuts. Spread the mixture in the tin, hollow out the centre slightly, and bake at Gas Mark 4/180 C/350 F for about 1 hour until cooked.
2. Slowly dissolve the sugar in the water in a pan and then boil briefly to thicken the syrup a little. Cool before adding the rum, and then moisten the warm cake whilst still in the tin. Leave to cool completely before turning out.
3. Split the cake in half and sandwich it back together with the jelly. Melt the broken-up chocolate with all but 60ml (3 Tbs) of cream. When smooth, whisk together. Add the rum. Leave the icing to cool and thicken before spreading it over the cake; place the cake on the serving plate first if you are brave enough! Otherwise, ice it on a board and transfer when set. Make the surface quite smooth.
4. Now make the truffles by melting 75g (3oz) of the chocolate and grating the remainder. Stir all the ingredients into the melted chocolate, mixing well. Leave in the fridge until firm enough to handle fairly easily. Divide the mixture evenly and roll into about 18 balls, tossing them in the grated chocolate. Leave in the fridge until firm.
5. Decorate the cake with some truffles, frosted cherries and chocolate leaves. Keep cool until required.
   
   Note: The truffles can also be made on their own.