Tunnel of Fudge Cake

August 30, 2016

Science is amazing in all it’s forms and what it does to food is just pure pleasure. See the first picture? It is a simple chocolate bundt, right.. but when you slice it….

TADA!!!! There is literally a tunnel of fudge surrounded by rich, velvety and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake, using single batter. I am no food scientist but can at least say it is the density of ingredients used in the recipe that create this tunnel of happiness. There is no leavening agent either.

I have never made molten lava cake as the idea of eating underdone batter doesn’t excite me. But this me loves. There is fudge and there is equally tasty cake but I should warn you; it is insanely rich and would tempt you to have a late night snack like Nigella Lawson. Don’t let the ingredient list hold you back as it is quite easy to make, extremely pretty/tempting to look at and having a slice of it is pure indulgence.

My daughter asked me to make this for her 10th birthday. I reminded her the fact that her sister and dad were gluten free and her response was, “So? It’s not their birthday.” End of discussion.

ingredients: ( 14 servings)

prepare the pan:

1 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder ( see note)

1 tbsp melted butter

for the cake:

1 cup boiling water

2 oz dark chocolate, chopped

2 cups flour

3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (see note)

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp salt

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup caster sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

for the glaze:

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup (see note)

8 oz dark chocolate,finely chopped

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

method:

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Mix cocoa powder and melted butter. Coat inside of a 12-cup bundt pan evenly, using a pastry brush.

Put 2 oz chopped chocolate in a small bowl and pour boiling water over it. Let stand for a minute and then whisk well until smooth. In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, icing sugar and salt. In another bowl lightly beat eggs and vanilla together.

In a large mixing bowl beat caster sugar, brown sugar and butter for 2 minutes on medium-high speed till light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and beat on low speed until just combined. Add melted chocolate mixture. Blend in the dry ingredients until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the edges of the cake start to pull away from the pan. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before inverting onto a cake platter. Let cool completely for another 2 hours.

To make the glaze, combine cream, corn syrup and chocolate in a small sauce pan. Heat over low flame and cook till chocolate is melted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Set aside for 30 minutes. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and let it set for ten minutes before slicing.

note:

Dutch process cocoa powder is a treated form of cocoa powder and has milder color and taste than regular cocoa powder. It is not available everywhere in Pakistan so you can use any good quality cocoa powder instead like Cadbury’s or Hershey’s.

Corn syrup in an invert sugar and an essential ingredient for this glaze. Don’t substitute it with any other ingredient. If you wish you can use any other frosting, ganache or glaze recipe.