Chocolate Fudge Cake

Hi all,

I have been doing more baking now that college has finished and I am going to share these things with you. First off a very decadent chocolate fudge cake which I made for my mums bookclub. (Its good to have a reason for baking, otherwise I always end up bringing it to my neighbours!)
The recipe used for the cake is from Rachel Allen cake.

I decorated the cake with two different things. The chocolate ganache which I coated the cake with was from Martha Stewart, and the chocolate frosting used in the cake and decorative swirls was from William Sonoma Baking book. Oh and the typical sugar paste flower (which I haven't made for a while)

So if you want to give this cake a go then see the recipes below:

Chocolate Fudge Cake

From Cake by Rachel Allen

Ingredients

• 225g dark chocolate, in drops or broken into pieces
• 225g butter, plus extra for greasing 
• 325g caster sugar
• 6 eggs, separated
• 200g ground almonds
• 75g plain flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160c, (325f), gas mark 3, then butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment. You need a 25cm diameter spring form or loose bottom cake tin with 6cm sides.
• Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Leave just melted, stirring occasionally, then set aside.
• Either in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle beater, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition. Mix in the ground almonds and the melted chocolate, followed by the flour, baking powder and vanilla extract.
• Tip the egg whites into a separate bowl, add a pinch of salt, and beat until stiff but still smooth in appearance -  do not over-beat. Fold the egg whites into the cake mixture and then pour mixture into the prepared tin.
• Bake for about 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clear but moist. Leave in the tin for 20 mins, then loosen the edges of the cake using a small, sharp knife and remove the sides of the tin before carefully transferring to a serving plate to cool.

Chocolate Ganache Icing

From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 9 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions

• Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
• In a small saucepan, heat cream until bubbles begin to appear around the edges
• Pour the cream over the chocolate
• Let stand for 5 mins, then stir until smooth.
• Set aside at room temperature until cool but pourable, stirring occasionally

Makes about 2 cups

Chocolate Frosting

From Williams-Sonoma The Baking Book

Ingredients

• 4oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped 
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar), sifted
• 3 Tbsp light corn syrup (or Golden syrup)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions

• In the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl, combine both types of chocolate. Set over barely simmering water and stir occasionally until melted.
• Let the melted chocolate cool slightly
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth and fluffy.
• Beat in corn syrup, vanilla and salt.
• Continue to beat while gradually pouring the melted chocolate into the butter-sugar mixture.
• Beat until smooth

Makes enough frosting for one 9-inch cake

xox Niamh xox