Luscious Mocha Fudge Cake
25 mins preparation
40-45 mins baking, plus cooling
Serves 10-12
150g dark cooking chocolate, melted
8 teaspoons coffee and chicory essence
125g unsalted butter
125g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
125g (1 cup) ground almonds
60g (1 cup) fresh brown breadcrumbs
4 large eggs, separated
ICING:
200g dark cooking chocolate
125ml (1/2 cup) sour cream
whipped cream and chocolate fans, to decorate
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin. In a small bowl, mix together the melted chocolate and coffee and chicory essence.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the almonds, breadcrumbs, egg yolks and melted chocolate mixture.
3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Mix 2 tablespoons egg whites into the chocolate mixture to slacken it. Fold in the remaining egg whites.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until firm. Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool and cover with a slightly damp, clean tea towel for 5 minutes. Remove tea towel and allow to cool completely.
5. For the icing, melt chocolate in the top of a double-boiler over gently simmering water. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream with a balloon whisk. While icing is still warm, pour over the cake and allow to set. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate fans.
TIP: Set the cake on a wire cooling rack over a plate before pouring the icing over. This allows any extra icing to run off the cake without leaving a sticky mess around the base.