Holiday fudge cake...

Christmas isn't Christmas without cake, right!

And I know not everyone is a fan of the traditional fruit cake so today I'm sharing a  gluten free Chocolate Fudge cake as an alternative.

3\4 cup+2tbsp Dark Chocolate (60%cocoa)

3\4 cup+2tbsp Butter

1tbsp Instant Coffee mixed with 1/2 cup cold water

6tbsp Gluten Free Flour

6tbsp Gluten Free Self Raising Flour*

1tsp Xanthum Gum

1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

3\4 cup+2tbsp Light Muscovado Sugar

3\4 cup+2tbsp Golden Caster Sugar

2tbsp Cocoa powder

1/3 cup Buttermilk milk

3 Large Eggs

White chocolate for decoration

 

For Ganache

1 cup Dark Chocolate (60%cocoa)

1/4 cup Dark Muscovado Sugar

1 cup Evaporated Milk

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

 

Preheat oven to 160C. Grease and line an 8 inch round tin with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate, butter and coffee mixture over  medium heat in a heavy based saucepan until butter is completely melted.
 *To make gf self raising flour I add one and a half teaspoons of baking powder with a quarter teaspoon of salt for each cup of gluten free flour to Bette Hagmans Four Flour Bean Mix. This method can be used on any all purpose flour blend but I've been using this  four flour blend without fail for a number of years.

Once you have the flour sorted, sieve it, xanthan gum, bicarb, sugars and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add the buttermilk.

 Add the melted chocolate mixture and the beaten egg mixture into the dry ingredients using a large metal spoon until everything is well blended and you have a smooth batter consistency. 

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 75 to 90 minutes. Check cake is cooked by inserting a metal skewer, if it comes out clean the cake is baked. Remove from oven, leave in the tin to cool for 30 minutes and then on a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cake is completely cooled cut it in half horizontally.

I don't have any fancy cake cutters so to cut the cake I measure half way up the cake and insert tooth picks around the outside . It gives a nice guideline of where to cut. Use a large knife and rotate cake as you cut along the toothpick guideline. 

 

 

To make the fudge ganache...

 

Put the chocolate, muscavado sugar, butter, evaporated milk and vanilla into a heavy based saucepan, heating gently and stirring constantly until everything has melted. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool before placing in the fridge for about 1 hour or until spreadable.

 

Use a third of the ganache to sandwich the two halves together, spreading the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake, then decorate to your hearts content. I've previously used white chocolate shavings to decorate, however leaving it plain is just as pretty. Its completely your call.