Ultimate Chocolate Cake!!

When I got the email from Not Quite Nigella I could not resist finding something!! I remembered my friend picked up this book called I'm Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas by Marcel Desaulniers, I knew I could find something ( ok the damn Italics will not turn off!!!). So I chose Chocolaty Fudge Cake for my entry. And just in time for the cut off date!!
Let me tell you, this was intense chocolate. I was going to up it with a ganach filling and curls, but man it just didn't need it. SO I went just with the recipe and an old fashion icing of the cake. I had never made actual Heavy Fudge Icing before, so was intrigued to see how it all came out.

Chocolaty Fudge Cake:

Heavy Fudge Icing:
2 cups tightly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, broken into 1/2 oz pieces
6 TBsp unsalted butter, cut into 1 tbsp pieces

Chocolaty Fudge cake:
8 oz unsalted butter, cut into 1 tbsp pieces
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz semisweet baking chocolate, coarsly chopped
1 1/4 c granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Making the icing:

1. Bring the brown sugar, cream, chocolate, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar and melt the chocolate and butter. Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes, stiffing frequently, until thickened and smooth. Remove from the heat. Poor into a baking sheet with sides and use a rubber spatula to spread evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours, until chilled thoroughly.

Cake:

2. Preheat the oven to 325. Spray 2 9 inch cake pans with non stick baking spray. Line with parchment paper and coat again.

3. In a sifter, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Sift onto a large piece of parchment paper.

4. Melt the chocolate and the remaining 8 oz of butter in a medium glass bowl in a microwave, stopping to stirr occasionally. Stir until smooth.

5. Place the granulated sugar and eggs in teh bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium-high for 2 minutes, until slighly thickened and pale yellow in color. Add the melted chocolate and mix on low to combine, about 15 seconds. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add teh dry ingredients, mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and mix on low to combine, about 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until thoroughtly combined.

6. Immediately divide the batter into the prepared pans, spreading evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake on teh center rack of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean, 28-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans at room temperature for 15 minutes. Invert the cake layers onto cake circles or cake plates. Carefully peel the paper away from the bottom of each layer. Refriderate the cake layers, uncovered for at least 2 hours before assembling.

7. Transfer the chilled fudge to the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on high for 2 minutes until lighter in color (a very mellow chocolate brown.) and slightly fluffly.

8. Remove the cake layers from the refrigerator. Use an incing spatula to evenly and smoothly spread 2 1/2 cups of icing onver the tome and sides of one of the inverted layers, baked side down. Place second layer baked top up, on the icing and getly press it into place. Evenly and smoothly spread the remaining icing onto the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

9. Heat the blade of a serrated knife under hot running water and wipe dry before cutting each slice. Serve immediately.

Ok.. the cake, wow was it rich!! like very thin slices, I did this, the challenge and the AFAM all in the same day, holy smokes long long day!! But wow this cake was awesome. Work ravashied it, but you will need a big glass of milk to wash down all that chocolate. I was so glad I didn't do the ganach filling hehe.. I couldn't believe how neat that fudge icing was, just went all fluffy and light brown, very glad I chose the recipe!! Thanks for the invite!!