Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake

Directions

• For the Ganache filling and Covering
• Place the cream into a saucepan and heat up over a medium heat until the edges just begin to bubble. DO NOT LET THE CREAM BOIL.
• Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and gently stir (using a folding action) just enough to incorporate the cream and chocolate.
• Cover the bowl and let the Ganache sit for a minute or two for the chocolate to melt.
• Once all the chocolate has melted stir with the spatula until nice and smooth (If there are still small pieces of unmelted chocolate after a couple of minutes place the Glass bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds on low power or the metal bowl over a pan of simmering water stirring the ganache gently until the chocolate has melted DO NOT LET THE WATER TOUCH THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL WHEN HEATING)
• Once the Ganache is nice and smooth, cover directly onto the mix with cling film to save it from forming a film on top and set aside to cool to room temperature
• For the Fudge Cake
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• line the two round sandwich tins with baking parchment ( See Video)
• Sieve the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a fair size bowl and add the sugar
• Make a well in the centre and add the rest of the cake ingredients
• Beat well, (you may want to use a hand mixer here) until the batter is nice and smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two lined tins
• Place in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 25-30 mins until risen and firm to the touch.
• Check with a thin skewer, when inserted that it comes out fairly clean. You may get a few crumb pieces but there shouldn’t be any loose batter
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10 mins before removing from the tins.
• After about 10 minutes remove the cakes from the tins and remove the parchment paper. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack
• Putting the cake together
• You may find it easier to put the cake together with a Cake Turntable, if you don’t have one, no worries.
• Once the Ganache has cooled, using a handheld electric whisk or a stand mixer, beat the mixture until light and fluffy and ready for filling and covering the cake
• Slightly trim the tops of the cakes so you have a flat surface to work with
• Take a piece of baking parchment paper slightly bigger than the cake and cut it in half, place both halves back together (place the paper on the turntable if you are using one, or something that will be easy to turn) and place one cake in the middle
• Generously cover the cake with some whipped ganache and place the other cake trimmed side down, on top
• Now cover the complete cake, top and sides with the remaining ganache
• Place plenty of the ganache on top of the cake and using a palette knife work it from the middle of the cake to the edges.
• Don’t worry about getting the top smooth as it adds to the overall finished look to be rough
• Now using the palette knife coat the sides using the same back and forth motion, again just cover the sides without smoothing
• Once the cake is completely covered using 2 palette knives or a large cake slice, lift the cake and the paper onto a serving plate.
• Now gently pull both sides of the parchment paper out from under the cake
• Place the cake in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to let the ganache firm up
• To cut the cake run a sharp knife under hot water, shake off any surplus water and slice the cake, repeat this action for each slice.