Recipe: Nana's Chocolate Fudge Cake

Cakes tend to sink in the middle. Well at least, many of mine do unfortunately. There are a myriad technical reasons for this but I'm going to be like the bad workman and blame my tools... bad recipes. I have only about five trusted cake recipes in my repertoire simply because it's a gamble trying a new cake recipe; all those ingredients, all that time, all that effort.

But this, my friends, is one of those good recipes.

As you can see in the photo it made a full, fluffy and decent-crumbed chocolate cake. It's my Nana's. The one she's whipped out at countless family birthdays. The one we pleaded for as kids and the one we're still overly content to be served as adults.

Here's her recipe, complete with her notes - and stellar freezing instructions.

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CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

SERVES 10 - CAN FREEZE

VERY VERY GOOD  A GREAT CELEBRATION CAKE - BIRTHDAYS OR EASTER ETC. OR SPECIAL DINNER .

• 125 GRAMS UNSALTED BUTTER SOFTENED

• 1 TEAS. VANILLA EXTRACT

• 1  ¾  CUP (385 GRAMS) CASTER SUGAR

• 3 EGGS

• 200 GRAMS DARK CHOCOLATE CHOPPED THEN MELTED.  PLACE CHOCOLATE IN BOWL  - PLACE IN LOW TO MEDIUM HEAT IN MICROWAVE -----     DO STIR EVERY 30 SECONDS UNTIL SMOOTH AS THIS OVERCOOKS VERY EASILY - TAKE CARE!!   

• 1 ⅔ CUPS (250 GRAMS) SELF RAISING FLOUR

• 1 TSPN SALT

• 3/4 CUP (180 ML) MILK

1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 17O DEG. C (150 DEG. FAN FORCED).  LIGHTLY GREASE A 22 CM SPRINGFORM CAKE TIN.   LINE BASE WITH BAKING PAPER.

2. BEAT BUTTER, VANILLA AND SUGAR IN A MEDIUM BOWL WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER UNTIL LIGHT AND CREAMY.    BEAT IN EGGS ONE AT A TIME.   POUR IN THE MELTED CHOCOLATE A LITTLE AT A TIME;  BEAT UNTIL COMBINED.  STIR IN THE SIFTED DRY INGREDIENTS AND MILK IN TWO BATCHES.

3. POUR THE MIXTURE INTO THE TIN. BAKE FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES  (BEGIN CHECKING THIS CAKE ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE STATED TIME --  SOMETIMES 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES IS TOO LONG). TEST WITH A SKEWER OR TOOTHPICK IN THE CENTRE OF THE CAKE UNTIL IT COMES OUT CLEAN.

TO FREEZE;  COOL CAKE AFTER STANDING IN THE TIN  FOR 5 MINUTES OR SO THEN REMOVE FROM THE TIN AND COOL ON A RACK. THEN WRAP WELL IN GLAD WRAP CLING FILM AND THEN IN ALFOIL AND FREEZE. TO THAW - ALLOW TO COME DOWN FROM EARLY AFTERNOON THE DAY BEFORE AND DO NOT REMOVE WRAPPER UNTIL 1 HOUR BEFORE YOU INTEND TO ICE THE CAKE.  DECORATE AS DESIRED. 

PS - Nana's much-loved icing recipe to follow