Chocolate Fudge Cake

So I've been meaning to share this recipe for a very long time, as this cake was the most loved among all of our friends and family. My school and college friends used to go gaga over this cake, and I'm quite sure they're drooling over this post right now (😜 It's ok guys, we'll make some the next time we hang out). This recipe is very simple, yet turns out so rich and moist it will leave you wanting more till it's over!

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup oil
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 tsp salt

Fudge Sauce:

4 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light cocoa powder

Fudge:

3/4 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup light cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter

Method:

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla essence until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Sift the sugar first to ensure there are no lumps.

Add the butter-cream mixture to the fluffy eggs and beat until well-combined.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Fold into the egg-butter-sugar mixture until fully mixed. Do not over-mix.

Pour into a pre-greased 8-inch baking pan and bake at 360 degrees or gas mark 4 for 35-45 min. A wooden pick inserted into the cake would come out clean when it is ready.

Take the pan out and leave the cake to cool (preferably over a wire rack).

Let the cake cool completely before proceeding to slice it horizontally along the middle. Lay the two halves on a tray with the inner sides facing upwards.

Make the fudge sauce. Combine the milk, sugar, butter, and cocoa powder in a non-stick pan and place over low heat (Make sure to sift the cocoa powder to avoid lumps). 

Keep stirring the mixture with a wooden ladle to avoid burning. Once everything has combined well and begins to boil, you will have a sauce that's chocolatey and runny. If your sauce is not runny enough, add a little more milk.

Use a fork to poke holes over both cake surfaces. Spoon the fudge sauce over each cake surface, coating evenly without leaving any spots.

Place the top layer of the cake over the bottom layer. Coat the top of the cake as well with some fudge sauce.

Make the fudge. Combine the butter, cocoa powder, and condensed milk in a non-stick pan and place over low heat. 

Keep stirring the mixture with a wooden ladle to avoid burning. The fudge is ready when it begins to boil.

Place the cake over a wireframe with a tray underneath. Pour the fudge over, making sure to cover the entire cake. This step needs to be done quickly before the fudge sets, or you will not be able to get a smooth and even texture.

Allow the fudge to set and stop dripping over the sides of the cake.

Carefully transfer to a serving tray and decorate as needed. Here I just used some hundreds and thousands.

Tip: Ideally, the fudge and the fudge sauce need to be prepared using the double boiler method. However, since I'm always finding simpler ways to do things, I find that using a non-stick pan on low heat works just as well. Note that there is no risk of burning your fudge and fudge sauce when you use the double boiler method, but with the non-stick pan, you need to stir continuously and stay alert to keep the fudge from burning.