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Deluxe Fudge Cake




Source of Recipe


Internet


Recipe Introduction


Yield 20 servings
Difficulty 2
Preparation time 45 minutes plus baking and cooling times

Note - the candy like frosting, a butter chocolate confectioners sugar combination is generously swiped over the top of the cake and as soon as it is applied, plenty of lightly toasted walnuts are pressed onto its surface.

To accommodate both a heavy layer of cake and a generous amount of frosting you need a 13 x 9x3 inch baking pan.

This batter using cake flour is bolstered by buttermilk and deepened with unsweetened chocolate. Chocolate is introduced into the batter as a simple thickened mixture, made by pouring boiling water over coarsely chopped chunks of unsweetened chocolate and setting the mixture aside until it had a pudding like consistently Still slightly warm, it is added to the batter at the last moment, adding the chocolate while warm gives the baked cake a gentle velvety texture.


List of Ingredients




Buttermilk chocolate fudge cake:
4 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups unsifted cake flour (not self rising)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (such as Land O Lakes)
1 3/4 cups superfine sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

Chocolate walnut frosting:
11 Tbsp (1 stick plus 3 Tbsp) unsalted butter
4 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar
A generous pinch of salt
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp heavy cream
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups walnut halves and pieces, lightly toasted
Note* To toast walnut halves and pieces, spread out the nuts on a jellyroll pan. Place the an in a preheated 350 oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Cool the nuts completely before using.

Make the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 Film the inside of the 9x13x3 inch (not 2 inch) baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water and let stand until the chocolate had melted completely, stirring the mixture from time to time. Cool until slightly warm. When you come to use it, the chocolate should be the consistency of moderately thick pudding. Do not allow the chocolate to cool to a firm mass.

3. Whisk together the cake flour, baking soda and salt.

4. In a 4 1/2 quart bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium high speed for 3 minutes. Add the sugar in three additions, beating well after each one. On moderate speed, beat in the eggs, two at a time, mixing for 45 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl frequently to maintain a smooth and uniform batter. Blend in the vanilla extract.

5. Slowly beat in half of the sifted flour mixture. Blend in the buttermilk, the batter will look curdled at this point (don’t’ worry, it’s OK), blend in the remaining sifted mixture. Add the warm chocolate mixture to the batter and beat on low speed until incorporated, scraping down the side of the mixing bowl frequently. The batter will be very soft (not fluid) and slightly fluffy.

6. Bake the cake for 32 to 35 minutes, or until it is nicely risen and a wooden pick inserted about 2 inches from the middle of the cake withdraws cleanly, or with a few moist crumbs attached to it. Towards the end of the time the cake is baking, prepare the chocolate frosting.

Make the frosting.
7. Place the butter and chocolate in a heavy medium size saucepan (preferably enameled cast iron) and set over low heat to melt both the butter and chocolate (about 5 to 6 minutes), stirring now and then. Remove from the heat and stir well until smooth. Sift the confectioner’s sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt. Pour over the melted chocolate-bitter mixture; add the milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract. Using a hand-held mixer, beat the frosting for 45 seconds to 1 minutes on low speed, or until just smooth. Do not overbeat the frosting.

8. Cool the baked cake in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes.

9. After 15 minutes assemble the cake by placing large dollops of the frosting here and there on top of the cake. Using a flexible palette knife or offset spatula, spread the frosting in an even layer. Immediately press the toasted walnut halves and pieces on top of the frosting.

10. Let the cake cool and the icing firm for at least 2 to 3 hours. Cut the cake into squares directly from the baking pan.

11. Serve the cake plain with vanilla ice cream, or with lightly whipped cream flavored with droplets of vanilla extract.


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