Chocolate Date Fudge Cake

It was the apple monster's 19th birthday and this is what he requested - the same chocolate cake I made about two years ago for his father. Although I have to reduce *a lot* of the sugars since my lasting memory of it was tooth-achingly sweet. He loved the icing which was buttercream-based so that stayed in. The caramel filling has to go because it packs in too much of the sweetness and we really don't want it too sweet. I adapted this from the Great American Food cookbook by Lesley Allin. Well, actually in the book it was titled - Chocolate Fudge Turtle Cake. I couldn't for the life of me make turtle-looking mounds with the icing and you have to put in pecans as their 'feet'. My kids don't like nuts in cakes so I didn't have to do it - yay! The cake itself was very moist and the icing really lovely especially if you chill the cake first in the fridge. Very nice. I hope you like it, too.

Chocolate Date Fudge Cake

80 g  [1/2 cup] chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
170 g  dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa content) - broken into pieces
65 g  [1/3 cup] caster sugar
4 large eggs - separated
125 g  [1/2 cup] unsalted butter - room temperature
220 g  [1 cup firmly packed] brown sugar
240 g  plain self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Put the chopped dates in a heat-proof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Add 1/4 tsp of the bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Let stand for at least 30 minutes.
2. Puree the mixture in a food processor or with a stick blender. If you don't have a blender, mash it with a fork. Set aside.
3. Combine the dark chocolate, date puree, caster sugar, and 1 egg yolk in a saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat while stirring constantly until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture well combined. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat and cool.
4. In a bowl, sift and combine together the flour, baking powder, remaining bicarbonate of soda, and the salt. Set aside.
5. Mix the sour cream, cold water, and vanilla in another container. Set aside.
6. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F.
7. In a big bowl, beat the butter with the brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
8. Add the remaining 3 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
9. Mix in the flour and sour cream mixtures alternately in 3 parts ending with the dry ingredients. Make sure to beat well after each addition.
10. Add in the cooled chocolate mixture until evenly combined.
11. In a separate clean bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until stiff but not dry.
12. Using a metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the cake batter gently but thoroughly.
13. Pour the batter equally between the two prepared cake pans and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean.
14. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then turn out on a rack and cool completely.

* To assemble:

1. Level the top of one of the cake layers by slicing off the excess. Spread about 1/2 cup of the chocolate frosting on it.
2. Put the other cake layer on top and spread the rest of the frosting generously over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Frosting

130 g  [2/3 cup] granulated sugar
375 ml  [1 1/2 cup] double or whipping cream
170 g  dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa content) - broken into pieces
pinch of salt
125 g  [1/2 cup] unsalted butter
1/4 - 1/2 tsp instant espresso or ordinary coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Mix the sugar, cream in a heavy saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over low-medium heat.
2. Reduce to heat to low and simmer while stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Remove from the heat, add in the chocolate and coffee granules. Stir until chocolate has melted.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until butter has melted.
5. Cool the mixture and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes-1 hour.
6. By this time the mixture should be thicker. Beat the frosting with an electric mixer until the colour changes slightly and it has a spreading consistency.