SIMPLE EASTER FUDGE CAKE WITH EASTER NESTS

By Paul Heathcote on Mar 25, 08 11:26 PM

THIS coming week I will be filming on Market Kitchen for TV with my old friends Matthew Fort, and Tania Ramsay – Gordon’s wife. The programme runs from this coming Monday on UK Food at lunchtime and is repeated in the evening, featuring a full week of Easter influenced dishes. The chocolate fudge cake must be one of the simplest recipes I know but does involve the use of a food processor.

I have pitched in advance an idea from one of Tanya’s cake recipes that involves making nests from shredded wheat – great fun for the children to make and will really keep their interest as this cake is oh so chocolaty.

Ingredients (makes 8-10)

For the sponge

75g good quality dark chocolate
175g Billingtons organic Muscovado sugar
175g softened butter
150g self raising flour
25g cocoa powder
3 eggs
Few drops of good vanilla extract

For the filling

175g soft unsalted butter
175g good quality dark chocolate melted
175g icing sugar

For the nests

3 Shredded Wheat broken up in a bowl
2 dsps golden syrup or honey
25g melted chocolate
Chocolate mini eggs

Method

1. First prepare two 20cm sandwich tins, brush with soft butter and dust well with plain flour, discarding any surplus.

2. Place the chocolate into a food processor and chop. Stop and remove the lid and add the remaining sponge ingredients and whiz for about 20 seconds; scrape down and give a final whiz. Divide the mix into the two tins and bake for about 25-30 minutes at 175°C/Gas Mark 3-4. Remove the cakes onto cooling wires.

3. Wash the processor and cream the butter and icing sugar together for about 30 seconds or so – it may be necessary to scrape down before whizzing again and pouring in the melted chocolate.

4. Allow the cream to cool a little and firm up before spreading half between the sponges and sticking together. Spread the remaining chocolate cream on top and prepare the nests.

To make the nests

Mix all the ingredients together and mould into eight or 10 little nests and allow to cool, place on top of the cake and add a few chocolate eggs into each one.