Raspberry Chocolate Fudge Cake
Divinely tender and truffle-like, the raspberry frills make this an all-singing production
Makes 1 x 20cm cake
Cake
200g unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
200g dark chocolate (around 50% cocoa), broken into pieces
3 tbsp smooth orange juice
4 medium eggs, separated
125g light muscovado sugar
75g ground almonds
Fudge Icing
100g dark chocolate (around 50% cocoa), broken into pieces
80ml whipping cream
20g unsalted butter, diced
raspberry powder, to decorate (optional)
fresh raspberries and raspberry sauce (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 20cm x 9cm deep cake tin with a removable collar and line the base with baking paper.
- For the cake, melt the butter, chocolate and orange juice in a bowl set over a pan with a little simmering water in it, stirring occasionally. At the same time, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff using an electric whisk, then gradually add in half the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a stiff glossy meringue.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in another large bowl for several minutes until they are pale and have doubled in volume.
- Fold the chocolate and butter into the egg yolks and sugar mixture, lightly fold in the ground almonds, then the egg whites in two goes.
- Pour the mixture into the tin, give it a couple of taps on the work surface to bring up any large bubbles then bake for 40 minutes – it should rise like a soufflé. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake then leave it to cool in the tin when it will sink.
- Meanwhile, make the icing. Gently melt the chocolate with the cream in a bowl set over a pan with a little simmering water in it, then remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Leave this to set at room temperature for about 1 ½ hours while the cake is cooling. It should firm to a spreadable consistency.
- Run a knife around the edge of the cake again, remove the collar of the tin, invert it on to a serving plate then remove the base and paper (you will be icing the bottom rather than the top).
- Spread the frosting over the top then dust with raspberry powder if wished. It is meltingly tender at room temperature, or dense and fudgey if chilled. Serve with raspberries and a drizzle of sauce for a pud.