Chocolate Fudge Cake

This is the first new year after we have shifted to our new flat. We had a family get-together to celebrate the entry into our sweet home. There were lot of fun activities planned along with the yummy food served. There were various dishes in our menu like tangdi kabab, tandoori chicken, chicken & prawn biryani, pizza from Dominos etc. For vegetarians there was garlic naan with methi chaman, and finally the ice-cream to make the event complete. 

Usually, we welcome the new year just by cutting a cake, and so for this year, I made this dense, chocolatti fudge cake. I used chocolate shavings and heart shaped home made chocolate fudge to garnish the cake.

Ingredients
For the cake:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sunflower oil (can use any non-flavored oil)
1 1/3 cups chilled water

For the fudge frosting:
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp instant coffee
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of slat
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
For the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Butter and line the cake pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
• In another bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. 
• In other bowl beat together the melted butter and oil until just blended, then beat in the water. 
• Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tin. 
• Bake the cakes for 45 to 50 min or until a tooth pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 15 min, and then turn the cake out on the rack to cool completely.

For the icing:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy whipping cream and instant coffee. Keep aside.
• In a sauce pan melt butter on medium heat.
• While continuously stirring add sugar, salt and cocoa powder. 
• Slowly add cream mixture and keep stirring until smooth and sugar has dissolved. Do not boil.
• Turn off the stove and add vanilla extract. Mix well.
• Remove frosting into a separate bowl and allow to cool completely. It may be kept in the fridge for faster cooling.

Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides, spreading and smoothing with a spatula. Garnish with your favorite topping.