Chocolate Fudge Cake

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream, Salted Caramel, and Dark Chocolate Ganache 🍫🍰

Indulge in a decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake layered with rich salted caramel buttercream, luscious salted caramel, and a smooth dark chocolate ganache. Perfect for special occasions or when you want to treat yourself to something extraordinary!

• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
• Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

• Chocolate Fudge Cake:

• 200g butter (room temperature) 🧈
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar 🍬
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 🍦
• 3 eggs 🥚
• 1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa 🍫
• 1 cup hot water 💧
• 1 1/2 cups milk 🥛
• 3 teaspoons vinegar 🍋
• 1 1/2 cups plain cake flour 🌾
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 🍰
• 2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda 🌟

• Salted Caramel:

• 1 cup caster sugar 🍬
• 1 cup brown sugar 🍂
• 180g butter 🧈
• 1 cup heavy cream 🥄
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt flakes 🧂
• Dark Chocolate Ganache:
• 300g dark chocolate 🍫
• 350ml heavy cream 🥄

• Salted Caramel Buttercream:

• 375g butter (room temperature) 🧈
• 3 cups sifted icing sugar 🍰
• 1 1/2 cups salted caramel 🍯

Instructions

Chocolate Fudge Cake:

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease, flour, and line two 20cm (8-inch) cake pans with baking paper.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, mix the cocoa with hot water, creating a thick paste. Gradually add this paste to the butter mixture.

Mix vinegar into the milk to sour it.

Sift together the plain flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate soda.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Fold until fully incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 23 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Salted Caramel:

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the sugars, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth.

Add the butter and whisk until melted and combined.

Remove from heat and slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring.

Return to heat and allow to boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Let cool before using.

Dark Chocolate Ganache:

Melt the dark chocolate in a large microwave-proof bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.

Once melted, add the heavy cream and stir until smooth.

Allow to cool slightly. The ganache should be pourable but not hot.

Salted Caramel Buttercream:

Beat the butter until light, fluffy, and paler in color.

Sift in the icing sugar and beat well.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the prepared salted caramel and beat until well combined.

Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until the buttercream is slightly firmer and pipeable.

Assembly:

Place one layer of the chocolate fudge cake on a serving plate or cake board.

Fill a large piping bag fitted with a large open tip with salted caramel buttercream. Pipe a border of large 'kisses' around the edge of the cake.

Use an offset spatula to fill the interior with buttercream, then spoon on a generous amount of salted caramel sauce.

Repeat the layering process with remaining cake layers, alternating with salted caramel sauce and dark chocolate ganache.

Top with more piped buttercream kisses and pour the dark chocolate ganache over the top, encouraging it to drip down the sides.

Serve and enjoy your decadent, indulgent cake! 🍰🎂