These Malted Chocolate Cake Truffles are like cake pops without the stick, except a little bit moister inside, like a brownie. The malt adds so much to the chocolate flavor!

Chocolate Cake Truffles - On Wax Paper on Countertop with Chocolate Shavings on Edges

It’s a lot of fun when men like chocolate.

You see, my husband really likes chocolate.

And I like to tease him about it because he gets so defensive…

I like chocolate itself but I don’t like it in the LADY kind of way.

I don’t need chocolate while I cry.

Chocolate doesn’t ask questions. Chocolate understands.

Malted Chocolate Cake with Parchment Peeled Back

Seriously, where did this chocolatey emotional lady stereotype come from?

Maybe it’s my fault.

Pete has witnessed me retreating into the pantry to have a handful of chocolate chips plenty of times.

Apparently this behavior makes it very difficult for men to admit their liking for chocolate.

Rolling the Truffle in Chocolate Shavings

It’s okay ladies, more chocolate for us. Keep it up.

Chocolate Cake Balls next to Chocolate Bar Being Shaved

Today is my 2nd wedding anniversary, and I wanted to do a little post dedicated to my husband Pete.

AKA resident taste tester, coffee and espresso snob extraordinaire, and my #1 fan.

We met early in college and did a lot of cooking together.

Not even two weeks after we met, and before we were “officially boyfriend and girlfriend” (LOL) he made me a chocolate cake for my birthday:

Chocolate Birthday Cake on Desk

Seriously, what guy does that? I knew he was a keeper!

(Just pretend you didn’t see that tub of frosting). haha.

So today I bring you chocolate cake…with chocolate buttercream…but in the form of something else.

Chocolate Malt Cake Truffle Closeup on White Dish

Cake truffles!

Look how they glisten with moisture from the chocolate malt buttercream:

Close Up of Moist Chocolate Cake Truffles Interior on Wooden Board

Sure, you could call it a cake pop without the stick. But  I actually developed this “cake” to be a bit more brownie like, so it’s kind of a cross between the two.

Because you know that chewy crust that a lot of brownies get on top?

I wanted these cake truffles to have that.

I also wanted them to be a bit malty, so I added plenty of malted milk powder to the cake and to the frosting:

Malted Milk Chocolate Cake Dry Ingredients in Mixing Bowl

It’s chocolate cake, taken to the next level.

Happy Anniversary Pete. I love you!

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Malted Chocolate Cake Truffles on Wax Paper

Malted Chocolate Cake Truffles

Servings: 36
Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
These Malted Chocolate Cake Truffles are like cake pops without the stick, except a little bit moister inside, like a brownie. The malt adds so much to the chocolate flavor!
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Ingredients

For the malted chocolate cake:

  • 1 oz unsweetened cocoa powder, by weight (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp, measured)
  • 4.25 oz flour, by weight (about 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp, measured)
  • 5.75 oz malted milk powder, by weight (1 cup, measured)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp espresso powder mixed with 2 tbsp boiling water
  • chocolate shavings for rolling

For the malted chocolate buttercream:

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup filtered water
  • 1/4 cup malted milk powder
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes (1 stick)
  • 2 oz chopped unsweetened chocolate 100% cacao

Instructions 

  • Start with the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a cake pan with a round of parchment paper on the bottom. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, malted milk powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.
  • Whisk the egg, vegetable oil, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and hot espresso like heck for a good 30 seconds until foamy and bubbly on top. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking JUST until the flour disappears (no overstirring allowed. You’ll make the cake tough).
  • Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes until the interior reaches 200 degrees F, but hey, since we’re crumbling it up anyway, just use a knife to peek into the middle and see if it’s done. And a quick note: the cake/brownie will puff up a ton and then sink in the middle. This is normal.
  • Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. Time to work on the buttercream.
  • The buttercream is made in the same way as my French Almond Buttercream. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks on high speed for 10 minutes until they are very pale. In the meantime, combine the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, and let the sugar syrup simmer to the soft ball stage (238 degrees on an instant read thermometer).
  • When both the egg yolks and the sugar syrup are ready, pour the sugar syrup into the mixing bowl (the mixer should still be on high speed), aiming as best as you can to pour between the wire whisk and the side of the bowl. Dump in the malted milk powder. Now if you touch the bottom of the bowl, it will be very hot. Beat the egg yolk sugar mixture until the bowl feels neither hot nor cold (about 5 minutes).
  • Turn the mixer down to medium and add the butter, a couple cubes at a time to the bowl, over the course of 10 minutes. Wait until each installment of butter is absorbed until you add the next batch.
  • Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler (if you don’t know how to do this, see my chocolate article). Add the melted chocolate to the buttercream and mix until the chocolate is distributed. Refrigerate the buttercream until it’s cold.
  • To assemble the cake truffles: Crumble up the cooled cake with your fingertips. Add about 1/3 of the buttercream and mix until distributed. If the cake is not sticky enough, you can add a tbsp or two more to the cake, but don’t make the cake truffles too wet. Portion out little scoops of the truffle mixture with a cookie scoop and roll into a ball between the palms of your hands. Roll in the chocolate shavings, and refrigerate until they firm up. They will taste best the next day when the flavors have melded together, just make sure to store in an airtight container so they don’t dry out. Enjoy!

Notes

Note: I use half the normal amount of butter in the buttercream, so it’s a bit looser than your usual buttercream. If you want it thicker, add one more stick of butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 71mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug