Chocolate Fudge Cake
A super simple and delicious recipe for a very chocolatey fudge cake! A perfect choice for a celebration cake, or just to lift the spirits and have a treat!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 50 g cocoa powder sifted
- 6 tablespoons boiling water
- 100 g unsalted butter softened
- 275 g caster sugar
- 200 g self-raising flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 60 ml milk
For the filling and topping:
- 150 g dark chocolate I like to use a minimum of 50% cocoa solids
- 150 ml double cream
- 2-3 heaped tablespoons apricot jam
Instructions
Method:
- Set the oven to 180ºC/Fan 160ºC/Gas Mark 4 and prepare two deep 20cm sandwich tins.
- In your bowl, blend the cocoa powder with the boiling water so that you make a smooth paste. Set to one side and cool.
- In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Then combine with the chocolate paste and mix well.
- Add the rest of the cake ingredients and beat the mixture until it becomes a smooth, thickish, batter. Then divide the mixture equally between the two cake tins.
- Bake in your pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until well risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool slightly and then turn out onto a wire rack.
For the chocolate ganache:
- Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and add the double cream. Slowly heat over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally, until all the chocolate has melted and combined.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool at room temperature until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Whilst the chocolate is cooling, place the jam in a bowl and gently warm. This can be done either in the microwave or in a small pan on the hob - be wary not to overheat. We just want to make it spreadable.
- Evenly spread the jam across the base of each cake, right to the edges.
- Once the chocolate ganache has cooled to a thick enough consistency to spread, you're ready to assemble! Using a small palette knife, take one sponge and spread a generous amount of ganache on top of the jam. Sandwich the two sponges together.
- Finally, using your palette knife, spread the rest of the ganache over the top of the cake. Add some chocolate shavings for decoration. Enjoy!
Notes
- If the cake mixture starts to curdle when combining all of the ingredients together, or if it seems too runny, mix in one tablespoon of self-raising flour at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- To ensure your chocolate ganache is nice and shiny, be careful not to overheat or 'boil' it, and avoid putting it in the fridge to cool down quicker - this will reduce the shine.