Old-Fashioned Fudge Cake

Old-Fashioned Fudge Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 62.

This recipe is simple to do. Even the icing, which involves beating it in a bowl in a bowl of ice water, is foolproof. And I must add, the icing is delicious! The cake itself is also very good, dense and rich. This is not an overly moist cake. Be sure not to overbake!

3 oz. (3 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 TBS. plus 1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1 cup milk 

Preheat oven to 350. Butter (or spray) two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with baking liners or wax paper. Dust with flour. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

 

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and mix well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated.

Mix in the vinegar. The mixture will look curdled.

Add the melted chocolate, beating until smooth.

On low speed, add the flour mixture...

alternating with the milk. Mix well, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Pour the mixture into the two pans - smooth the tops.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the layers begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Allow to sit in pans for about 5 minutes before removing. Cool completely.

Whipped Chocolate Icing

6 oz. (6 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter
2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 large eggs
3 TBS. hot water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler.

Place all the remaining ingredients in the small bowl of an electric mixer. Beat just to mix. Remove the bowl from the mixer and set it in a larger bowl filled with ice and water.

Add the melted chocolate and butter and beat until the mixture thickens slightly (an electric mixer is probably your easier route).

Use a rubber spatula and stir the icing until it thickens to the consistency of thick mayonnaise.