This recipe is from Baker's Book of Chocolate Riches, Beekman House, 1985. The recipe dates back to the late 1800's when two Wellesley College graduates found a recipe for fudge cake in a Boston newspaper and started making it for the Wellesley Tea Room. Most probably Baker's chocolate was used since the company had already been making chocolate for over 100 years. ~ Sharon
Wellesley Fudge Cake
4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup water
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
Mocha Buttercream Frosting
Melt chocolate in water in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Cool. Mix flour, soda, and salt. Cream butter. Gradually beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Blend in vanilla and chocolate mixture.
Pour batter into two greased and floured 9-inch layer pans. The addition of a wax-paper round on the bottom of each pan will ease the removal of the cakes after baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tester inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides. Garnish along the perimeter of the top with chopped toasted walnuts and chocolate chips.
Mocha Buttercream Frosting
This recipe is my adaptation of two chocolate butter frosting recipes.
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons very warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
dash of salt
1 pound (approximately 4 cups) confectioners sugar
3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 tablespoons (approximately) milk
Dissolve instant coffee in water, add vanilla extract. Cream butter with salt. Blend in chocolate and coffee. Gradually beat in sugar alternating with milk until smooth spreading consistency is reached. Makes more than enough for a two layer cake.
