Chocolate Fudge Gateau Recipe

75g/3 oz plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, chopped
200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup milk

225 g/8 oz/1 cup dark brown sugar

75 g/3 oz butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2.5 ml vanilla essence (extract)

150g/5 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
25 g/1 oz cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder
5 ml/1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
For the icing (frosting):
100 g/4 oz plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
100 g/4 oz butter or margarine, softened
225 g/8 oz icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted

Chocolate flakes or curls to decorate

Method:

Melt together the chocolate, milk and 75 g/3 oz of the sugar in a pan, then leave to cool slightly. Cream together the butter and the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla essence, then stir in the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda. Spoon the mixture into two greased and lined 20 cm/8 in sandwich tins (pans) and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4 for 30 minutes until springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins for 3 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Beat together the butter or margarine and sugar until soft, then stir in the melted chocolate. Sandwich the cakes together with one-third of the icing, then spread the rest over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the top with crumbled flakes or make curls by scraping a sharp knife along the side of a bar of chocolate.