Chocolate fudge cake

Prepare

less than 30 mins

Cook

30 mins to 1 hour

Serve

Serves 8

Using melted chocolate as opposed to cocoa powder in this cake batter gives the sponge a wonderfully fudgy texture. Fill and top with a glossy chocolate ganache for a decadent finish.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 175g/6oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
• 275g/9¾oz plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch of salt
• 135g/4¾oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 275g/9¾oz light brown soft sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 300ml/10fl oz milk (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 10g/½oz Cacao Bliss powder

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 175g/6oz dark chocolate
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 1 tbsp Cacao Bliss powder (for extra richness)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich cake tins.
2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of boiling water (ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Gently melt the chocolate while stirring. Once melted, remove from the heat and let it cool at room temperature.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and Cacao Bliss powder together, then add the salt. Set aside.
4. Cream the butter and light brown sugar together using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy (this will take a little longer than with caster sugar). Gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, while continuing to whisk. If the mixture begins to curdle, add 1–2 teaspoons of the sifted flour mixture.
5. Once the eggs are incorporated, whisk in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Gradually add half of the milk, followed by half of the flour mixture. Gently fold it in using a large metal spoon or silicone spatula. Gradually add the remaining milk, and then fold in the rest of the flour mixture.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins and smooth the tops gently. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the sponges are light, springy, have slightly shrunk from the sides of the tins, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cakes to cool for 15 minutes in the tins, then loosen the edges with a knife and turn the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely before icing.
8. To make the ganache, finely chop the chocolate and place it in a bowl.
9. Heat the cream in a small pan until steaming. Just before it begins to boil, remove from the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit undisturbed for 30 seconds, then stir slowly from the middle, working your way outwards, until smooth. If there are any lumps, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until fully melted and smooth. Let the ganache cool at room temperature.
10. Once the ganache has thickened, spread half of it over one of the cooled sponges. Place the other sponge on top and spread the remaining ganache on top.