Double Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe – Celebrate National Baking Week

Double Chocolate Fudge Cake with Vanilla and White Chocolate Buttercream

Ready in 50 mins, plus cooling time
Serves 8

For the cake:
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
150g Billington’s light muscovado sugar
40g cocoa, sifted
150g Allinson Nature Friendly White Self Raising Flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ bicarbonate of soda
2 medium free range eggs
1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
142ml soured cream
2 tbsp golden syrup
For the buttercream:
200g white chocolate
280g unsalted butter
280g icing sugar
2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste

For the chocolate curls:
100g white chocolate
100g dark chocolate

2 x 18cm sandwich tins

1. Heat the oven to 180C/mark 4/ Fan 160C. Grease and base-line 2 x 18cm sandwich tins. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale. In a separate bowl sift the cocoa, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt, mix well. Add to the creamed butter and sugar.

2. In a measuring jug whisk together the eggs, vanilla, soured cream and syrup. Pour over the dry ingredients and beat altogether.

3. Divide the mixture equally between the tins. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until springy. Leave to cool for a few mins in the tins, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

4. For the buttercream, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Leave to cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar together until creamy. Beat in the chocolate and vanilla bean paste.

5. For the chocolate curls, melt the white and dark chocolates separately as above, then pour each on to a small plate, leave to cool until firm but no completely solid, then using a peeler or sharp knife, run the blade over the chocolate to make a curl, transfer to a lined plate and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

6. When you’re ready to serve, transfer one of the cakes to a serving platter, spread ¼ of the buttercream on top, then top with the other cake. Then use the remaining buttercream to ice the top and sides of the cake. Top with the chocolate curls.