Mary Berry’s Chocolate fudge cake

Name: Mary Berry's chocolate fudge cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder; 6 tbsp boiling water; 175 g (1 1/3) cup self-raising flour; 1 tsp rounded baking powder; 275 g (1 1/3 cup) caster sugar; 100 g (½ cup) softened butter; 3 eggs (large); 50 ml milk; 3 tbsp apricot jam; 150 g plain chocolate; 150 ml double cream

This is a great, simple chocolate cake recipe for kids. Mary Berry’s chocolate fudge cake is the perfect cake for any special occasion.

This easy chocolate cake is the perfect easy cake recipe for kids. It’s deliciously moist and fudgey as a good chocolate cake should be, but best of all it’s really simple to make.

The recipe is based on Mary Berry’s chocolate fudge cake recipe from her Baking Bible. It was as easy as cakes can get really, as you mix everything together in one bowl. The cake itself is tasty, moist and fudgy but not too rich. It’s nice and plain so lends itself to some decoration if you’re making it for a special occasion. You can leave it just as a ganache topping or add a large tube of Smarties if your kids want to add a bit of colour.

How can kids help make Mary Berry’s chocolate fudge cake?

This is a great, easy chocolate cake recipe for kids to make. They’ll have the chance to measure all the ingredients out before mixing them together in one bowl. This is the easiest way of making a cake, as you don’t need to worry about the order you put anything in or having to cream eggs and sugar together. Once it looks well mixed you simply pop it in your baking tins before putting it in the oven.

When you bake with kids, keeping things simple is the best approach. You can do this with your decoration. Either simply add the chocolate ganache and leave it, or add some colour by pouring a large tub of smarties on top – we didn’t arrange them or organise them in any way, merely poured them in a heap. If you do something similar, remember more is more – don’t skimp to get the full effect.

How long will a chocolate fudge cake keep?

The cake will keep in an air tight container for 3-5 days.

Can you freeze Mary Berry’s chocolate fudge cake?

This chocolate cake freezes well. Wrap the un-iced sponges in cling film / glad-wrap, and pop them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to three months. Make sure you defrost them fully at room temperature before adding the ganache icing.

What can I use instead of self raising flour?

If you don’t have any self raisin flour (which is easy to find in UK supermarkets) you can swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour. Add an additional teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt.

What is baking spread?

Baking spread of baking margarine is an dairy free alternative to butter. It works well in cakes and cupcakes as it makes the sponge lovely and light.

Other chocolate cake recipes

If you liked this chocolate fudge cake you’ll love some of our other easy cakes and cupcakes:

Boston cream pie
Nutella cupcakes
Easy chocolate cupcakes
Chocolate loaf cake
Easy chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache
Chocolate traybake
Chocolate Victoria sponge
Chocolate fudge cupcakes
Rolo brownies

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this Mary Berry chocolate fudge cake

Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoons
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Sauce pan
Cake tins
Wire rack

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Difficulty: Easy

Time: 30 minutes plus 25 minutes baking

Serves: 12

Ingredients

50g (½ cup) cocoa powder
6 tbsp boiling water
175g (1 1/3 cup) self-raising flour
1 tsp (rounded) baking powder
275g (1 1/3 cup) caster sugar
100g (½ cup) softened butter or baking margarine/spread
3 eggs (large)
50ml milk

For the icing

3 tbsp apricot jam
150g plain chocolate
150ml double cream

Smarties to decorate

How to make Mary Berry’s chocolate fudge cake

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan /350F. Grease 2 x 20cm (8 inch) round cake tins, and line the bases with baking paper. We usually draw round the base with a pencil onto the paper and cut it out from there.

Mix the cocoa powder and water.

Get your kids to measure the cocoa powder into a small bowl, then carefully spoon in the water. Give it a good mix until you have a nice chocolate paste. Add it to a large mixing bowl or free standing mixer.

Add all the cake ingredients

Get your kids to measure the flour (175g), sugar (275g) and baking powder (1 tsp) and add them to your mixing bowl.

Measure the butter, and if it’s not already soft, give a blast in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. Add it to your bowl.

Get your kids to crack the 3 eggs into a separate small bowl just in case any egg shell goes in, then add them to your mixing bowl. Add the milk.

Using a hand mixer or the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat everything together until you have a nice smooth cake batter.

Divide the batter in between your prepared cake tins and, using a spatula smooth the cake mix flat.

Bake the chocolate fudge cake

Pop your cakes in the middle shelf of your oven for around 25 minutes. They’re ready when they have risen, and if you gently press the top of the cake down with your finger it should spring back.

Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before turning them out and leaving them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the chocolate ganache

While the cake is baking, make the icing. Get your kids to break the chocolate into pieces and pop them in a heatproof bowl. Add the cream.

Put the bowl over a pot of simmer water (a bain-marie) and leave the chocolate to melt into the cream, stirring occasionally.

Once the chocolate has melted completely, leave it to cool and thicken. It’s ready to use when it’s almost set. If you want to speed this up, you can pop it in the fridge for fifteen minutes or so.

Arrange the chocolate fudge cake

Warm the apricot jam and spread it over the top of one of your cakes.

Get your kids to help you spread half the chocolate icing on top of the apricot then sandwich the two cakes together.

Spread the remaining chocolate icing on top, and use a spatula or a small palette knife to spread it out. If you want to add some more decorations you can get your kids to add them on top. We used Smarties as they’re perfect for kids and lovely and colourful, but it would work equally well with any other chocolate or with raspberries/strawberries.

Serve and enjoy!

Mary Berry's chocolate fudge cake

cookingwithmykids

This is a great, simple recipe for a chocolate fudge cake that kids will love making for a special occaision.

4 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 55

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Servings 12

Calories 438 kcal

Ingredients

50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
6 tbsp boiling water
175 g (1 1/3) cup self-raising flour
1 tsp rounded baking powder
275 g (1 1/3 cup) caster sugar
100 g (½ cup) softened butter
3 eggs large
50 ml milk

For the icing

3 tbsp apricot jam
150 g plain chocolate
150 ml double cream