Chocolate Fudge Cake (Slightly Lighter than Normal!)

Video HERE

Yes, I have already done a chocolate cake, but this one was a special request for a friend's birthday.

He wanted a slightly lighter version so I've gone for a chocolate mousse filling and the fudge on the outside... we also discussed jam. I know you cake purists will be having kittens at the thought of adding fruit to a chocolate fudge cake, but he and I both like the idea - although we argued over which fruit to go with. I like cherry - for that Black Forest vibe, but he wanted raspberry... he won in the end because it was his cake - and I forgot to pick up cherry jam when I went shopping, so I went with what I had in the fridge... all in all, actually a rather nice cake...

Still, I would have preferred cherry...

This cake does contain butter, and I would usually avoid chilling a butter cake because it gets a bit tough and rocky, but the addition of golden syrup and almonds stabilizes the sponge so that it can be chilled for the filling to set and for keeping - up to 3 days uncut, another 2 before it starts to get hard. I have never known a chocolate cake to last longer than that...

Ingredients:
FUDGE*
250g Butter
250g Dark Chocolate (50% cocoa max, otherwise it is too bitter)
4tbsp Milk
60g Sugar (Brown Sugar also works well here)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
MOUSSE
100g Dark Chocolate (At least 70% cocoa, the bitterness will be smoothed out by the cream)
150ml Double Cream
CAKE
175g Butter, softened
175g Plain Flour
175g Caster Sugar
40g Ground Almonds
40g Cocoa Powder
3tbsp Golden Syrup
3 Eggs
2tsp Baking Powder
4-5tbsp Raspberry (or cherry) Jam
100g White Chocolate, grated**

*Half of this fudge recipe will be enough to cover the cake if you're filling it with mousse, the rest can be frozen or kept for topping ice cream and things of that nature.
**If you put the bar in the freezer for 30 minutes it will grate evenly and not melt as fast in warm hands. Beware, it will gain a static charge that makes it stick to EVERYTHING! and once grated the flakes melt fast so keep it in the fridge until needed.

Method:
[Preheat Oven 180C/GM4]

1. Grease and line 2x 25cm(10") cake tins.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, with a little flour to help stop it curdling.*
4. Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder, then fold gently until just combined.
5. Stir through the almonds and syrup, then add enough milk to make a dropping consistency.**
6. Divide between your tins and bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool in the tins for 10-15 minutes, then turn onto racks to cool completely.
8. For the fudge, melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted, then add the sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir until dissolved. Pour into a bowl to cool then chill for 1-2 hours until spreadable.***
9. For the mousse, melt the chocolate, then leave to cool slightly. Whip the cream until it holds its shape, then fold through the chocolate.
10. Construction - Place one cake top-down on your serving dish**** and spread on the jam in an even layer, then a dollop of mousse. Top with the other cake top-up and cover with mousse. If you have time chill for 30 minutes before spreading over the fudge and covering with white chocolate. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving and keep the leftovers - if there are any - covered in the fridge.

*If your eggs and butter are both at room temperature this shouldn't happen... although a teaspoon of flour with each egg doesn't do any harm if you're worried.
**This can take between 4-6 tablespoons of milk, add a little and stir through each time until the mixture drops thickly off your spoon - you can't add more flour if you go overboard.
***If this gets too hot it has a tendency to split as it cools. Do not worry, just give it a stir every now and then and it will come back together.
****Or on the lid of your cake tin, which was completely unsuitable... but more stable for transporting than any other option I had available.