Chocolate Fudge Cake

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson

Show: Nigella Bites Episode: Comfort Food

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (19)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(19)

Cook Time:
50 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
10 servings or with 1 broken heart

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 15 min
Cook: 50 min
Total:: 1 hr 25 min

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Ingredients

For the cake:

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup best-quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup corn oil
1 1/3 cups chilled water

For the fudge icing:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the cake:

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and line the bottom of 2 (8-inch) cake pans.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl or wide-necked measuring cup whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Using a standing or handheld electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and corn oil until just blended (you'll need another large bowl for this is using the hand mixer; the standing mixer comes with its own bowl), then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together on a slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tins. And actually, you could easily do this manually; I just like my toys and find the stand mixer a comforting presence in itself.

Bake the cakes for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn the cakes out on the rack to cool completely.

For the icing:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave - 2 to 3 minutes on medium should do it - or in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water, and let cool slightly.

In another bowl beat the butter until it's soft and creamy (again, I use the stand mixer here) and then add the sifted confectioners' sugar and beat again until everything's light and fluffy. I know sifting is a pain, the 1 job in the kitchen I really hate, but you have to do it or the icing will be unsoothingly lumpy. Then gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth.

Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides, too, spreading and smoothing with a rubber spatula.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Chocolate Fudge Cake
s s d , CA 02-25-2010
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tasted like chocolate muffin
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

the icing was good, but the cake itself tasted like chocolate muffin. I could see how some people would like this, but it did... not go over so well for my clan.Read more
recipe Chocolate Fudge Cake
Sheena Arnold, MO 01-18-2010
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This is an excellent recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My husband wanted a chocolate cake and I was trying to find one that wouldn't be too dry. I looked up this recipe and thought... I'd give it a try. First of all this was my first cake including icing that I has completely made from scratch. (before at least some boxed or canned items had been used) It was very easy to do, my 5 year old daughter was able to help me through the entire process, and the end result was amazing! The cake was light and fluffy but so maist and gooey that it was almost still like fudge. It was great!. I would deffinately recomend this to anyone who wants a moist, chocolatey, easy cake! It is deffinately going to go in my recipe book for many future uses!Read more
recipe Chocolate Fudge Cake
Wesley Delray Beach, FL 12-17-2009
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Best Chocoalte Cake Ever
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this last week for a birthday party everyone loved it! Very much worth the time and effort!! I made a white chocolate... frosting to put on the cake.Read more
recipe Chocolate Fudge Cake
Margie Brooklyn, NY 12-12-2009
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bland. kinda gross
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

this recipe has too many ingredients for not enough tastiness.
recipe Chocolate Fudge Cake
Laila Milpitas, CA 12-05-2008
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made my FIRST CAKE ever on my daugters 2nd Birthday
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

it was great!!\I would advise people though to go the extra mile and look for chocolate chips with more than 70% cocoa. It... will make it chocolatier. everyone loved it and nobody left anything on their plates.Read more
recipe Chocolate Fudge Cake
AMY Louisville, CO 11-23-2008
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Nice if you like something less sweet
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I have mixed feelings about this recipe. My guests, including children, seemed to really like it. It has a sophisticated... taste -- far less sweet than most cakes. But I thought the flavor was a little bland and I'm not sure I would make it again. If I did I would search for a more intensely flavored cocoa for the cake. The icing is silky and delicious.Read more