Easter Chocolate Fudge Cake

Watch Clodagh make this on her IGTV here

Makes 1 Cake

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake

⅔ cup/65g cocoa powder

7 tbsps /100ml hot water

1⅓ cup/280g caster/superfine sugar

3 large eggs

4 oz/100g butter

3 tbsps/50ml milk

6½ oz/180g plain/all-purpose flour

2 tsps of baking powder

For the chocolate frosting

12oz/340g cream cheese, softened

¾ cup/170g unsalted butter, softened

3 cups/360g confectioners’/icing sugar

⅔ cup/65g cocoa powder

To decorate

Pretty spring flowers

Chocolate swirls or flakes

Mini chocolate eggs or similar

METHOD:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C /325°F/gas mark 3. Grease 2 x 20cm (8in) cake tins and line the bottom with greaseproof / parchment paper.

2. Start by making the cake. Mix the cocoa powder with 100ml of hot water and then add it to a mixing bowl. Next add in all the rest of the ingredients – eggs, flour, sugar, milk and baking powder. Mix together (I use my stand mixer) until all the ingredients are well combined and you have a thick batter.

3. Divide the cake batter between the cake tins and bake them in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Once they are baked remove them from the oven and leave them to stand for 10 minutes in the cake tins. Then remove them carefully from the tins and place on a cooling rack and leave them to cool completely.

4. To make the chocolate frosting place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and whisk for one minute. Next add in the butter and confectioners’ sugar and whisk together until they are well combined. Lastly add in the cocoa powder and continue to whisk until you have a light fluffy frosting.

5. Place one of the cakes on a cake stand or plate and smear the icing generously on top (like a sandwich), then place the second cake on top of the icing. Spread the rest of the icing over the top and sides of the cake – I use an icing spatula, but you can use a regular knife.

6. Decorate with spring flowers, chocolate flakes or swirls and mini chocolate eggs.