Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 200 g self raising flour
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 175 g butter
• 175 g soft brown sugar
• 1 orange, rind of, grated
• 100 g dark chocolate
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
• 3 eggs
• apricot jam

For the fudge coating

• 100 g icing sugar
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 37 g butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 50 g caster sugar

Directions

1. 1

   For the cake:.

2. 2

   Sieve the flour and cocoa powder and set aside.

3. 3

   cream the butter and sugar together until soft and light,stir in the orange rind.

4. 4

   Break chocolate into a bowl (I recommend that you use 70% cocoa solid minimum),add boiling water and stir until the chocolate is melted and well blended.

5. 5

   Lightly whisk the eggs and gradually beat into the butter and sugar mixture.

6. 6

   Beat in the melted chocolate,then fold in the flour/cocoa mixture with a metal spoon.

7. 7

   Spoon the mixture into two greased and lined tins and bake @ 180/350/Gas 4 for 25-30 mins,until cake shrinks away from the sides of the tin.

8. 8

   Allow to cool slightly in tins,then turn out on wire rack.When cold,slice each cake horizontally to make 4 layers.Using a thin layer of jam,sandwich all layers of the cake together.

9. 9

   Fudge coating:.

10. 10

    Sift icing sugar and cocoa and set aside.

11. 11

    Put the butter,water and caster sugar into a saucepan and heat gently,stirring to dissolve the sugar.Bring to a simmer.

12. 12

    Pour the hot mixture into the sieved icing sugar/cocoa mixture,and mix together until its thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

13. 13

    Pour coating quickly over the cake,and smooth over the sides.Leave to set before serving.