DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE Drenched CAKE SLICES * Chocolate Fudge Glaze
Cake:
2 cups granulated white sugar.................... 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda............................1/2 teaspoon table salt
4 ounces good-quality unsweetened or 82% extra dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup hot double-strength brewed coffee or espresso
2 large eggs, at room temperature...............1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream.......................................1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 9" SQUARE cake pans with non-stick baking spray (containing flour). Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and then spray the parchment paper with the baking spray too. Set the pans aside.
(1) Whisk together sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
(2) In another bowl, whisk the chocolate into the hot coffee until completely melted.
(3) In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until combined.
Stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Then gradually fold in flour mixture in thirds (stirring well after each addition). Be gentle, but make sure flour is incorporated smoothly with no lumps .
Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans (about 20-30 minutes); then run a knife around edges of pan and flip pans over to let cakes cool completely on the rack (but don't remove the parchment paper until they're completely cool.)
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DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE GLAZE
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter......……...2 (12 fl oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup dark chocolate chips......………….....1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
Put all ingredients into a 4-cup microwave-proof bowl and heat in 20 second bursts (stirring in between) until smooth and melted. Let it cool.
When the cake and the glaze is cool, ASSEMBLE:
Put waxed paper or parchment paper under cake racks for your work surface. Then put a thin layer of the glaze on top of one layer (spreading out evenly). Carefully put the second layer on top of the bottom layer, UPSIDE-DOWN (so you have a nice flat top) and press gently. Using a long, serrated bread knife, cut the cake into 9 pieces (3 across each direction). Carefully move the squares to the racks that are over the waxed paper so that they are NOT touching each other. Now pour the rest of the glaze on top of the cake, letting it drip over the sides and smooth out. (you can scrape it off the waxed paper and just redrip it over the top, if you need to). This is when you would put a Florentine cookie at the end (on top) of each slice, or decorate with piped flowers or sprinkles ~ or a few fresh raspberries and a mint leaf.
Let it set before serving.