This rich and decadent Fabulous Fudge Cake is a classic example of mid-century American chocolate cake baking. The recipe combines unsweetened chocolate, brown sugar, and buttermilk to create a moist and flavorful crumb, while the unique Chocolate-Cream Frosting, lightened with whipped cream, adds a silky finish. A note on the original recipe suggests using cake flour, emphasizing its tender texture. Perfect for celebrations, Sunday dinners, or anytime you need an indulgent chocolate fix.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 sq unsweetened chocolate
- 2¾ cups cake flour (sifted )
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter ( or margarine)
- 2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed )
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate-Cream Frosting
- 2 sq unsweetened chocolate
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar (sifted )
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Pans
- Grease the bottoms of three 9-inch round cake pans. Line with waxed paper.
Step 2: Melt Chocolate
- Melt 3 oz unsweetened chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Set aside.
Step 3: Sift Dry Ingredients
- Sift flour, baking soda, and salt onto waxed paper. Set aside.
Step 4: Cream Butter and Sugar
- Cream butter in a large bowl with spoon or electric mixer. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until fluffy.
Step 5: Add Eggs and Chocolate
- Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until thick. Blend in vanilla and melted chocolate with spoon, or electric mixer at low speed.
Step 6: Alternate Adding Flour and Buttermilk
- Add sifted flour mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with flour mixture, beating after each addition.
Step 7: Add Boiling Water
- Stir in boiling water until well blended.
Step 8: Bake
- Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 9: Cool and Frost
- Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Loosen around edges with knife, turn out onto racks and cool completely. Put layers together and frost with Chocolate-Cream Frosting.
Chocolate-Cream Frosting
Step 1: Melt Chocolate and Butter
- Melt 2 oz unsweetened chocolate and butter in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Beat in sugar, salt and egg until smooth.
Step 2: Add Remaining Ingredients
- Place top of double boiler over ice in large bowl.
- Start beating the chocolate mixture with electric mixer, gradually adding cream.
- Continue beating 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy thick.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 3: Add Whipped Cream
- Keep frosting over ice while working. Chill cake until serving.
Tips
- Use cake flour as written on the card for the lightest crumb.
- For a deeper chocolate flavor, add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder.
- Replace buttermilk with soured milk (1 tbsp lemon juice + milk to make 1 cup).
- Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for texture.
- For extra-moist layers, brush each cake layer with warm sugar syrup before frosting.
- Frosting can be doubled if you prefer thick filling and outer coverage.
- Add 1–2 tablespoons cocoa to the frosting for a darker color.
- Chill the cake before slicing for the cleanest cuts.
- Make as cupcakes: bake 15 to 18 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 480IUCalcium: 60mgIron: 2.4mg
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