Chocolate Fudge Cake

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Lightly grease two 20 cm (8-inch) round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and fine salt until evenly combined and no cocoa streaks remain.
3. Place the unsalted butter, 120 g dark chocolate 70% cocoa, whole milk, and strong brewed coffee in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water at about 95°C (do not let the bowl touch the water). Heat, stirring often, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth and reaches about 50–55°C.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the chocolate mixture cool to 20–22°C. This ensures it is safe for the eggs and helps create a dense but smooth, velvety crumb.
5. Once the mixture is at 20–22°C, whisk in the granulated sugar until the batter looks thick, glossy, and slightly grainy from the sugar crystals.
6. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture becomes smoother, slightly thickened, and shiny.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks of flour or cocoa remain. The batter should be thick, smooth, and slowly pourable.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula so the layers bake level and even.
9. Bake for 28–32 minutes, until the tops look set and slightly glossy, the edges just begin to pull away from the sides, the centers spring back when gently pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist, fudgy crumbs but no wet batter.
10. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment and cool completely to room temperature (20–22°C). The cooled layers should feel dense yet tender and moist.
11. For the chocolate fudge topping, place 200 g dark chocolate 70% cocoa and the powdered sugar in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer, with small bubbles forming around the edges and the temperature reaching 95–100°C.
12. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2–3 minutes, then whisk from the center outward until the ganache is completely smooth, glossy, and slightly thick. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes until it cools to around 28–30°C and has the consistency of thick, slowly flowing fudge.
13. Place one completely cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spoon about one-third of the ganache on top and spread it evenly to the edges, creating a smooth, thick layer.
14. Set the second cake layer on top. Pour most of the remaining ganache over the center of the cake, letting it flow toward the edges and drip slightly down the sides. Use a spatula to nudge and smooth the ganache into an even, glossy coating, reserving a little to fill any gaps if needed.
15. Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes until the ganache is softly set but still shiny. The finished cake should slice cleanly with a dense, moist, fudge-like crumb and a rich, silky, glossy chocolate topping that holds its shape yet feels tender when cut.