Really? Chocolate cake from a bakery?

Why yes, those are champagne truffles on top.

I'm not saying the only reason I went to Cammi's birthday party was because Christie promised to make Chocolate Blackout Cake, but it was part of the reason. This cake, with white chocolate icing rates very close to the top of my choco-meter.

Imagine, then how sorely disappointed I was to see a purchased cake on the table when I arrived. As a sweeping generalization, which includes cupcakes, I'd say I never met a bought cake I liked. Some were tolerable, but mostly I leave the gooey mess on my plate and hide it with a napkin until I can sneak it into the garbage. (One of the few times I don't mind using a paper napkin, but I digress.) I see that there are bakeries everywhere so obviously I'm in the minority.

Cammi is a good friend and Christie had obviously gone to a lot of trouble to host the party so, just to be sociable, I graciously accepted the (rather large) slice of cake handed to me and grabbed a couple of napkins.  It looked like this was going to be a two-napkin job.

I can eat one bite of almost anything (with the exception of matjes and beef tendons) so, smiling broadly, I took a bite.

Aahhh. This cake defied description. It was. . . indescribably divine. But I'll describe it anyways: layers of not-too-sweet champagne ganache between 3 layers of moist chocolate, almond and hazelnut cake. 

My world has been rocked by Thomas Haas Patisserie. And he's near Tegan, so I can use her as an excuse to visit him!

I'm just now trying to decide where this goes on the choco-meter which currently stands at:

1. Cammi's handmade truffles (available only at Christmas)
2. Rausch Plantagen-Schokolade (available only in Germany
3. Purdy's Chocolates (available locally and year round)

Obviously I'll have to do a bit more testing to get the ranking right. Cammi has taught me so much in our 30+ year friendship (potty training, food, living and loving life) but introducing me to Thomas Haas might just take the cake.