Fudgy Caramel Chocolate Cake

This is a great celebration cake for anyone who loves fudge, caramel and chocolate (and who doesn't really??). I baked it twice just last week, and everyone who tried it adored it. I split one cake into 3 layers after baking, but you could bake the cake in three separate cake tins if you don't dare slice it. This will reduce the cooking time to approximately half an hour.

Makes 1 20cm cake (3 layers)

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 150g margarine or softened butter
• 150g plain chocolate (around 40% cocoa solids)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 150g plain flour
• 200g light brown soft sugar
• 2 eggs
• 150g natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the caramel sauce:

• 55ml double cream
• 25g butter
• 25g light brown soft sugar
• 2 tbsp golden syrup

For the buttercream frosting:

• 2 tsbp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 300g icing sugar
• 150g unsalted butter, softened

To decorate:

• 100g grated fudge (see recipe)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 160c/140c fan/ gas mark 3. Grease and line the base of a deep 20cm cake tin.

2. Melt the butter/margarine with the plain chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl does NOT touch the water in the pan), stirring often. Once melted, take off the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes.

3. In a separate bowl stir together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Beat in the yoghurt, eggs and vanilla extract. Pour in the butter/chocolate, and beat until smooth.

4. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 60-80 minutes, until a skewer comes out of the cake clean. Take out of the oven and after 5 minutes, transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool fully.

5. Whilst the cake is baking, make the caramel sauce. Heat the brown sugar, butter, cream and golden syrup together in a medium sized pan until all of the butter has melted, and the sugar has dissolved. Boil for a few minutes, then take off the heat to cool.

6. To make the buttercream, cream the butter until it is very soft, then add the icing sugar, cocoa and two tablespoons of hot water. Cream together with a wooden spoon briefly (to start to incorporate the icing sugar), then use an electric whisk to make the buttercream smooth (don't start with the electric whisk unless you want an icing-sugar covered kitchen!).

7. Slice the cake into three even layers (this is easiest to do with a serrated knife). On the base layer add 1-2 tbsp of the caramel sauce, and use the back of a spoon or a palette knife to smooth over the whole of the cake. Add a large spoonful of buttercream on top of the caramel sauce and spread evenly over the layer.

8. Add the next layer of cake, and repeat the additions of the caramel sauce and buttercream.

9. Add the final cake layer. Add the caramel sauce, and use the rest of the buttercream to spread over the top and sides of the cake. A palette knife is very helpful for this.

10. Sprinkle the grated fudge all over the top of the cake.

11. Enjoy!!

This cake is great served cold, and even better when heated slightly (turning it into a fudgy caramel pudding),and served with vanilla ice cream.

Love caramel? Then you'll adore my White Chocolate Salted Caramels