Apricot Chocolate Fudge Cake

A rich chocolate cake, but with the Sachertorte’s legendary layer of apricot jam, this recipe for Apricot Chocolate Fudge Cake is a perfect blend of simplicity and flavour. Not only does the jam add a fruity element to an otherwise decadent cake, it contributes complexity in the form of sweetness, ensuring that every mouthful is as interesting as the last.

Chocolate cake isn’t something that should be made very often. Indulgence isn’t a treat if it comes around every weekend. And then there’s the weight issue. Instead, it’s better to embark on a bake like this once every month or so. Appreciate luxury for what it is.

The key here is to use a good quality dark chocolate. The icing would be a little sweet if you use anything less than 60% cocoa chocolate. 70% seems to strike a balance between flavour, sweetness and consistency. You could go higher, but the topping may not be so velvet and tempting.

For a slightly different take on chocolate cake, my recipe for Chocolate Courgette Cake is a real winner, especially when life is throwing more courgettes at you than you know what to do with…

Apricot Chocolate Fudge Cake

Makes 12 Slices

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 175g butter, softened

• 150g light muscovado sugar

• 3 eggs

• 125g plain flour

• 3 tbsp cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 100ml sour cream

• 2 tbsp apricot jam

For the Icing:

• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)

• 50ml sour cream

Method:

1. Grease and line a 20x20cm baking tin. Preheat your oven to 180C/160C(fan).

2. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one until fully incorporated.

3. Gently stir in the cocoa powder and sour cream, before sifting and folding in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

4. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked through.

5. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before allowing to cool completely on a wire rack.

6. Gently melt the apricot jam in a pan and spread on the top of the cake with a pastry brush.

7. Melt the chocolate slowly over a bain marie and set aside for 2-3 minutes to cool a little. Whisk in the remaining sour cream and spread over the set jam immediately. Serve.

Cost: This apricot chocolate fudge cake is perhaps a little more indulgent than what I’d usually make. However, indulgence needn’t be at the cost of frugality. Indeed, this entire slab of rich, dark chocolate cake will set you back no more than £3.60. A snip!