Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE FUDGE SHEET CAKE WITH MOCHA FUDGE FROSTING

Category: Cakes

Cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mocha Fudge Frosting:
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp instant espresso powder
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces

To make cake: Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 13x9 by-2-inch baking pan.

Sift sugar, flour, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl; set aside.

Combine the butter cut into pieces, water and cocoa and espresso powders in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring, and bring to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients and stir and fold until smooth; set aside.

In a nonreactive small bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream or buttermilk or yogurt and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the mixture in the large bowl and whisk just to blend. Pour into prepared pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula.

Bake 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack about 15 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan by running a knife around the edges. Invert cake onto rack, remove pan and let cake cool completely. Or cool cake completely in the pan.

Frosting: In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream, butter, corn syrup and espresso powder to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the bittersweet chocolate. Let stand to soften. Stir until completely smooth. Chill, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread.

TO FINISH THE CAKE: Place cooled cake, bottom up, on a tray or board or prepare to frost cake in pan. Scrape the frosting onto the cake and spread evenly over top (and sides) with rubber spatula. Let cake set at a cool room temperature at least 1 hour before cutting or refrigerate to set frosting. If desired, garnish the top of the cake with chopped nuts or write a message in icing to commemorate the moment.

Store: Wrap loosely in foil and refrigerate. (To keep foil from touching the frosting, poke a few toothpicks into the top of the cake before wrapping. Be sure to remove picks before serving.)