Surprise your sweetie with this ultra rich and decadent cake. Why not? It may be because it’s Valentine’s Day, or maybe just ‘cause you want some. Chocolate that is. Get your mind out of the gutter people. No matter what the celebration, you will show that certain someone that you truly care!

I vacillated between calling this cake a wonder cake or a surprise cake. Why? For starters this cake looks like a one layer cake. So it get’s people wondering. Why the surprise? Really the surprise is revealed when you cut into it. Look. See? All that gooey and rich chocolate filling. How’d I do that? Easy of course. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. This cake was inspired by the individual lava cakes and your everyday saucepan cake. Damn I love those lava cakes. And I love Valentine’s Day. Ahhh, cupids, romance, flowers, and a Triple Chocolate Surprise Cake. Oh yeah.

Triple Chocolate Surprise Cake – it will surprise you and make you wonder – why didn’t I make this cake sooner?

Let’s start with the Chocolate Filling:

What you’ll need: 6 oz. (6 squares) semi-sweet chocolate, 1 oz. (1 square) unsweetened chocolate, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract and 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup.

Coarsely chop the chocolate.

Add the chopped chocolate to a small saucepan.

On low/med, heat the chocolate. Add the heavy cream, and

vanilla.

Stir it up with a spatula, until it is melted and combined.

Then add the corn syrup.

Heat on low stirring frequently, until the chocolate filling is creamy and is melted.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Let’s move on to the Chocolate Cake.

Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda,  Pinch of salt, ½ cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup butter, 1 cup water, and ½ cup cocoa ( I used ¼ cup dark cocoa and ¼ cup light).

In a medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

Combine using a wire whisk. Set aside.

Get your pan ready. Grease and lightly flour a 9” round cake pan. I am using this cool silicone mold.  If using a silicone mold place it on a baking sheet to keep the cake’s shape.

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs.

Add the buttermilk

and vanilla.

Stir to mix and set aside.

In a medium/large saucepan

Melt the butter.

Then add 1 cup water and

½ cup cocoa powder ( I used ¼ cup dark cocoa and ¼ cup light).

Stir with a wire whisk to combine.

Over med/high heat

bring to a boil stirring constantly.

Take off of heat.

Set on a heat proof surface and plug in electric mixer. We are going to do it all in one pan baby!

Start by beating in the flour mixture. The chocolate will still be warm so we want to add the flour part in first.

Then add the buttermilk mixture.

Beat on medium speed until thoroughly mixed.

Pour half of the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9” round cake pan.
Get the Chocolate Filling ready.

Place the Chocolate Filling by the spoonful

in a circle pattern on the cake batter.

Leave a hole in the center.

Pour the rest of the batter over the top to cover completely.

Bake for 40 – 50 minutes in a preheated 350° oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Set aside to cool completely before frosting.

For the Rich Chocolate Frosting:

½ stick unsalted butter, 1 oz semi-sweet chocolate, ½ bar dark chocolate, 3-4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 5-6 Tablespoons of heavy cream (not pictured).

In a medium glass bowl,

melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave.

Beat together until glossy.

Add the vanilla extract and

half of the sifted powdered sugar.

Beat the mixture until it looks a bit lumpy.

Beat in the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until it’s a nice, creamy, spreadable consistency.

Adjust by adding more powdered sugar accordingly.

Place in fridge for 20 -30 minutes.

Let’s frost our wonder cake!

I’m using my cool cake pan. It’s quite a unique relic that I got at a garage sale a few years back.
I think it is charming. Like me.

Flip the cooled cake over onto the prepared plate or platter.

It’s not as easy with the silicone cake pan.

OOOH yeah.

Start spreading the frosting from the center of the cake out.

Frost the sides. Lick frosting from finger. Repeat last step.

Now for the finishing touch, some shaved dark chocolate.

sprinkle it on top.
The chocolate melted on my fingers. I guess I’ll have to lick it off. Poor me.

What a wonder!

Let’s get some.

In our mouth

NOW.

Triple Chocolate

Surprise!

 Printable Recipe

Triple Chocolate Surprise Cake

Chocolate Cake:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
Using a wire whisk, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl whisk the eggs. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and stir to mix.

In a medium/large saucepan:
Melt 1 cup butter
Then add
1 cup water
½ cup cocoa powder ( I used ¼ cup dark cocoa and ¼ cup light)
Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Take off of heat. With an electric mixer, beat in the flour. Then add the buttermilk mixture. Beat on medium speed until thoroughly mixed.

Pour half of the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9” round cake pan. Place the Chocolate Filling by the spoonful in a circle pattern on the cake batter. Leave a hole in the center. Pour the rest of the batter over the top to cover completely. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes in a preheated 350° oven until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Set aside to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Filling:

6 oz. (6 squares) semi-sweet chocolate
1 oz. (1 square) unsweetened chocolate
Coarsely chop the chocolate

3 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons corn syrup, light
In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate. Add the heavy cream, and vanilla stirring until it is melted and combined. Stir in the corn syrup. Heat on low stirring frequently, until the chocolate filling is creamy and is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Rich Chocolate Frosting

½ stick unsalted butter
1 oz semi-sweet chocolate
½ bar dark chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a medium bowl melt the butter, and chocolate. Add the vanilla extra.

3-4 cups sifted powdered sugar
5-6 Tablespoons of heavy cream

With an electric mixer beat in half of the powdered sugar. Beat in the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until it’s a nice, creamy, spreadable consistency. Adjust by adding more powdered sugar accordingly. Place in fridge for 20 -30 minutes. Frost cooled cake.