Savory 'n Sweet - Fudge Cake

"Let's face it, a nice, creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me!"
-Audrey Hepburn

Last week there were six birthdays of various family members and friends, one of them my own. In celebration I want to share with you the recipe for my all-time favorite birthday cake.
 
I originally had this moist and delicious chocolate experience at my husband’s parent’s home, baked by Louise, my much loved and lamented mother-in law.
 
The derivation of the name of this cake comes from a wonderful story related to me by Charlie, my father-in-law.
 
Years ago, Charlie and Louise went to their favorite seafood restaurant to celebrate Louise’s 71st birthday. This restaurant offered $10 off the dinner of anyone celebrating their birthday, on the date, with proof of date of birth.
 
That same day another couple were celebrating a birthday. The husband was 92 years old that day.
 
Charlie and Louise, always friendly, struck up a conversation with the couple and wished the elderly gentlemen a very happy birthday.
 
Going to their own table, they enjoyed their meal. When it was time to pay the bill, Louise looked in her purse for her license to prove that it actually was the day of her birthday and receive their $10 off. No license. She had switched purses and left her license in her other purse.
 
Louise, with her usual aplomb, met the situation with self-deprecating humor. They paid the full bill and stopped to tell the elderly couple all about it on their way out.
 
The 89 year-old wife looked at Charlie and said, “Isn’t she worth the $10?”
 
Without hesitation Charlie answered, “I wouldn’t give you a dollar for another one, but I wouldn’t take a million for her!”

​What a guy!
 
This recipe is a ringer for that original chocolate masterpiece. It is adapted from the website Sweetapolita.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Louise's Million Dollar Fudge Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour*
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong black coffee
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp vanilla
 
 Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Prepare (3) 8″ or (2) 9” cake pans with baking spray and parchment paper. 
3. In bowl of electric mixer, sift all dry ingredients.
4. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl with the dry ingredients and with paddle attachment on.
5. Pour into prepared pans. Batter will be liquidy.
6. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pans in oven. Cakes are done when toothpick or skewer comes out clean, approximately 30-35 minutes. Try not to overbake. Cool on wire racks for 20 minutes then gently invert onto racks until completely cool.
 
*This recipe is not gluten-free, however it does adapt well to using an all-purpose gluten-free flour, though the cake has a slightly gummier texture. 
 
I particularly like to frost this cake with this wonderfully creamy and chocolatey fudge frosting. After all, you can never have too much chocolate ;)
 
Fudge Icing Recipe
Enough icing for  9” two layer cake.
 .
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar*
3 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
⅔ cup whole milk
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes
1½ teaspoons vanilla
 
Instructions:
1. Mix sugar, cocoa powder, and milk together in a large saucepan.
2. Cook over medium-high heat until large bubbles form. Boil one minute. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
3. Return to medium-high heat and boil until it thickens. Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon until thick and smooth.
 
**Because I am, well, me, I intend to  try coconut sugar in this recipe. I haven’t done so yet. It might be delicious and be gentler on one's body than white sugar.