Fast fudge cake
Source of Recipe
wwwcof msn Community - Claudia
Recipe Introduction
The Aztec king Montezuma believed chocolate was an aphrodisiac, and maybe he was right. Scientists say the little cocoa bean contains chemicals that make us feel good with stimulants that affect the neurotransmitters in our brain.
I sure noticed a lighthearted mood settling over our house when I made this Fastest Fudge Cake from chocolate expert Alice Medrich in Fine Cooking's Winter 2004 Holiday Baking magazine.
List of Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps. unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and warm
1 packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup warm ganache (recipe below)
Recipe
Procedure
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of an 8-by-2-inch or 9-by-2-inch round cake pan, or line it with parchment.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift only if the cocoa remains lumpy after whisking.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs and vanilla; stir until well blended. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir just until all the flour is moistened. Pour the hot water over the batter; stir just until it's incorporated and the batter is smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 30 minutes for a 9-inch pan; 35 to 40 minutes for an 8-inch pan. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge and invert the cake (peel off the parchment if necessary). Invert it again onto the rack and let cool completely. Once cool, set the rack over a baking sheet or foil. Pour the warm ganache over the cake and use an icing spatula to spread it over the top of the cake and down the sides. Let set for about an hour before serving.
GANACHE
8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream; more as needed
Granulated sugar (optional)
Put the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and whisk gently until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. (If using a 70-per-cent bittersweet chocolate, the ganache might be a bit thick; add more warm cream, 1 tbsp. at a time to thin it.) Makes 1 1/2 cups
Serving Information
Serves: 8
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