Whilst I find cooking very relaxing, I’m not quite as confident when it comes to baking. I blame my oven, although it may be as I’m a little impatient with the exactness required that tends to lead to failures from time to time, then I give up.
I do however have my go-to fail proof (so far) recipe that I have been making with success for 14 years. It is Nigella’s Chocolate Fudge Cake, from ‘Nigella Bites’ cookbook. Not surprisingly once you taste this cake you will understand why it is listed under ‘comfort food’.
This is most definitely one of the richest cakes I’ve tasted, be warned only a small piece required. As it is so moist it keeps really well for a few days. It is a little more complicated than your basic chocolate cake, but I believe definitely worth the effort for those special occassions.
Nigella’s Chocolate Fudge Cake
Totally decadent chocolate cake for special occassions
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-55 minute
- Total Time: 80 minutes plus cooling
- Yield: 10 serves
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 400g plain flour
- 250g golden castor sugar
- 100g light muscovado sugar
- 50g good quality cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 145 ml sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 175g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 125ml corn oil- I use grapeseed or vegetable
- 300 ml chilled water
For the Fudge Icing
- 175g dark chocolate min 70% cocoa solids
- 250g unsalted butter softened
- 275g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C./ Gas Mark 4
Butter and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarb, salt and sugars.
In another bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla, until blended.
In another bowl (large bowl) beat together the melted butter and oil- until blended, then add the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and beat on a low speed.
Add the egg mixture and ensure everything is well blended.
Divide the mixture between your two prepared tins and place in the oven for 50-55 minutes. Until a cake tester comes out clean.
Place on a wire rack in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely before icing.
To make the icing
Melt the chocolate- in the microwave, 2-3 minutes. Or in a bowl sitting over a pan of boiling water.
In another bowl beat the butter until soft and creamy add the sieved icing sugar until well blended and light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and slightly cooled melted chocolate. Blend well.
Putting it together
If your cakes rise unevenly when baked, you may want to slice off any ‘bumps’ on one of the cakes this will be used for the bottom part of the sandwich.
Put about a quarter of the icing mixture on top of one cake and sandwich together. Ice the top and sides of the joined cakes spreading smoothly.
Notes
Cake keeps well for a couple of days, cover well and store a cool place, or the refrigerator if the weather is hot.
It will remain moist.
