Is it still cake if it’s dense, ultra-rich and more like fudge? That’s what I wondered about this recipe, a cake I made this past weekend for my husband Ed’s birthday. This cake is dark-chocolatey. The kind of dark-chocolatey that experts say is healthy to eat (can you imagine that?). I’ve baked it before and eaten it still warm, when it is lighter, more tender and more like cake.
And absolutely wonderful.
But because my kids and grandkids were coming for the birthday weekend, I made it in advance and kept it in the fridge and we ate it cold. It was thicker, felt richer on the tongue and with a more concentrated chocolate flavor, more like fudge.
And absolutely wonderful.
It’s a simple recipe, easy to make and just needs a little whipped cream to make it complete. Although probably vanilla ice cream would do just as well.
This made a festive birthday cake. But I can’t think of a better treat for Valentine’s Day.
Chocolate Fudge Cake
1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
10 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
whipped cream
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Place a parchment or waxed paper circle on the bottom of the pan. Set aside. Melt the chocolate in the top part of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Remove the top pan with the melted chocolate from the bottom pan. Add the butter, flour and salt and blend them in thoroughly. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and blend them in thoroughly. Beat the egg whites until they are foamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites are stiff, but the tips still lop over slightly. Add about 1/3 of the whites to the chocolate mixture and blend it in thoroughly. Add the remaining whipped whites and fold them in gently until the batter is a uniform color. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven. Leave the door open. Let the cake cool in the oven. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve with whipped cream. Best the first day, slightly warm, but wonderful, denser and more fudgy when cold and a day old. Makes 8-10 servings