Chocolate Truffle Cake

So...I'm not really a baker. Or really a cook, for that matter. Admission: the kitchen is not my favorite room of the house. And yet I volunteered to help with a bake sale (long story...) Here is one of the items I made to donate. I must give kudos to my sister-in-law for giving me the recipe (on her blog) and telling me I really could do it... :)

It's good to try and expand our (non)talents once in a while, right?

Cake
2-1/2 cups 2% milk

1 cup butter, cubed
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling
6 TBSP butter, cubed
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Ganache
10 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large saucepan, cook milk, butter, and chocolate over low heat until melted. Remove from heat; let stand for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and vanilla; stir in chocolate mixture until smooth. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into mixture (batter will be thin). Transfer to 3 greased and floured 9-in round baking pans. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Let cool.

For filling, melt butter and chocolate. Stir in confectioner's sugar and cream until smooth.

For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. Bring cream just to a boil and pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally until it reaches spreading consistency.

Use filling in between cake layers and spread ganache over the tops and sides of the cake. You can use any leftover filling to decorate. Store in refrigerator.

**it turned out better than I thought it would with my baking skills. Thank heavens spreading something over the tops of cakes hides the stupid cracks. Layer cakes are not my thing...