Paul's Chocolate Fudge Cake
Paul’s Chocolate Fudge Cake
Amped Up With
Old Fashioned Boiled Chocolate Fudge Frosting and Mini Chocolate Chips
They say you should play to your audience. My most frequent audience member and my taste tester is my husband and confidante, Paul. He has been a willing research volunteer all these years, trying and assessing all my recipes, chocolates, cakes, and confections. Don’t get me wrong, he knows the myriad of advantages of being married to The Chocolate Goddess, the results of which, studies say, are almost always satisfying and delicious.
Paul seems genuinely fond of almost all everything I make and is always excited to taste something new. He appreciates my profession and the fact that most of the time there is a home cooked meal and dessert on the table, whether or not it has been tried and tested true ,or it is still in the experimental stage. I have known for many years his favorite meal is my tomato sauce and meatballs and that his favorite pies are lemon meringue and pecan. With his birthday approaching, I realized that I didn’t know his ABSOLUTE favorite cake. After my realization, I had to ask because the guilt I felt was palpable.
And the winner is… he needs, wants, requires, and misses Old Fashioned Fudge Cake amped up with Real Fudge Frosting on the top, around the sides, and between two layers (not three), as well as, bedecked with mini chocolate chips pressed into the sides. No piped ornamentations, roses, fresh flowers, or other whimsical adornments are needed.
He wants the real deal - chocolate fudge cake with chocolate fudge icing and his taste buds want what they want. Lots of people call buttercream and beaten ganache ‘chocolate fudge frosting,’ but the genuine article has a denser consistency, almost identical to real fudge, but in a thinner layer. Years ago, the bakeries in New York and Queens made cakes with fudge frosting and he has been craving it.
What was the secret to fudge icing of the bakers of yesteryear? They took the time to heat and melt the sugar and a rich milk until it came to a soft boil stage, just like fudge. Chocolate buttercream and ganache are delicious but the quality of a fudge frosting gives us another icing option that makes cakes and, life in general, more interesting. It is easy to make and everyone will be delighted to try something a little bit different.
Paul’s chocolate fudge birthday cake dreams will come true!
May All Your Sweet Dreams Come True!
And Remember
Always Stay in Touch with Your Inner Goddess!
Paul’s Chocolate Fudge Cake
Amped Up With
Old Fashioned Boiled Chocolate Fudge Frosting and Mini Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
Chocolate Fudge Cake
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 package Godiva® Instant Chocolate Pudding (not dark or semisweet)
¾ cup Unsweetened Cocoa
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Granulated Sugar
4 Large Eggs lightly whisked
¾ Vegetable Oil
¾ cup Whole Milk
¾ cup Water
1 tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract
Simple Chocolate Syrup
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
½ cup Granulated Sugar
½ cup Water
2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
Old Fashioned Boiled Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1 cup Evaporated Milk
3 cups Granulated Sugar
1 stick, plus 7 tablespoons Butter
3 cups Semisweet Morsels regular size
Decoration
1 bag Mini Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions for Baking
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans.
Place all dry ingredients, including sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add already whisked eggs, oil, water, milk and vanilla to bowl and combine on lowest setting.
Beat for two minutes on medium speed.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool about 15 minutes and then turn out onto baking racks.
Make syrup.
Simple Chocolate Syrup
Add all ingredients to a saucepan and place on medium heat.
Stir until the butter is melted and all the sugar is dissolved.
Lower heat and cook on a simmer about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and let syrup cool to room temperature.
Poke cake with fork gently so as not to pull up crumbs.
Pour carefully over each layer and let soak in before frosting.
Old Fashioned Boiled Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Chop butter in small pieces.
Place milk, sugar in a medium to large saucepan.
Stir until sugar is almost dissolved.
Add chopped butter.
Turn on the burner to about a medium high flame and slowly bring mixture to a low rolling boil stirring frequently.
This is what your low rolling boil should look like.
Remove from heat, add chocolate, and beat on low speed using a hand held mixer until thick and cool.
Stir occasionally until somewhat set.
And this is what your fudge frosting should look like when it’s ready.
It’s still nice and shiny.
Frost between layers, then top and finally sides of cake. Mixture sets up quickly. Beautiful swirls are not the object of the game for this kind of frosting.
Press mini chocolate chips into sides.
And experience the joy of your sweet dreams!
