WELLESLEY FUDGE CAKE

The second week of the month I have to go in to Hillcrest Thrift Shop on either Monday or Wednesday as I have Blankets of Hope, our small quilting group, at church on Tuesday morning. Before the thrift shop moved into its new "home", my treats were mainly enjoyed by the volunteers downstairs since that was where I volunteered. In our new home, everything is on one floor which means the volunteers all use the same kitchen/community room. So last week when I volunteered on Monday, I knew whatever I took would probably get eaten. As it turned out, I took in the Wellesley Fudge Cake that I made the afternoon before and about eight slices of the Chocolaty Orange Cake I had made for us that wasn't getting eaten. We weren't eating it very fast because it wasn't good though. (We were eating slices of pie that we brought home from church. Our minister celebrated his 65th birthday and members brought pies and we had leftovers. I brought the Strawberry Pie and made it No-Sugar-Added.) I found the recipe in my Baker's Chocolate and Coconut Favorites (booklet) cookbook.

Anyway, the volunteers enjoyed both of the cakes and by the end of my shift, it was all gone but four pieces of the fudge cake that I left on a plate. I had gotten so many compliments on it so when I got home I ate my piece that I had left at home - after I ate my sandwich for lunch, that is. It really was good. Volunteer Terry told me how good it was and I told him I was glad to hear that since I had not eaten any before I brought it. He then told me that everything I brought in was good. I am glad that I am fortunate enough to pick good recipes.

In full disclosure - I started writing this post last Monday night. As I got to the recipe and started typing in the first ingredient, I realized that I had only used 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate. The unsweetened chocolate bars are done differently now than what they used to be. This recipe was in a 1975 cookbook. The bar I had was thinner and was only a total of 4 ounces. Six of the little squares equaled 1 ounce and that is all I used. Even though the volunteers (and my husband and I) really liked the cake, I decided I would make the cake again on Tuesday and take it on Wednesday when I planned to go in and "walk" inside the store for my walking exercise. 

The result as you might imagine was the cake I took on Wednesday with the 4 - ounces of unsweetened chocolate was a richer chocolate taste. Don't get me wrong, the first cake was just as delicious. It just needed to be called a chocolate cake. So if you only have 1 ounce of  unsweetened chocolate, you will get a really delicious, moist chocolate cake, if you make it with just 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate. I also used more chocolate in the frosting for the second cake and it was definitely more fudge-y tasting. The chopped pecans also were great.

The Chocolate Fudge Frosting was my own recipe I came up with after checking out several different ones. Really, really good.

 WELLESLEY FUDGE CAKE

4       squares/ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2    cups hot water
1-3/4 cups sugar
2       cups sifted cake flour
1       teaspoon baking soda
1       teaspoon salt
1/2    cup shortening or butter
3       eggs
3/4    cup milk
1       teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray a 9 x 13 - inch pan.

Melt chocolate in water in double boiler, stirring frequently.

Add 1/2 cup sugar; heat and stir 2 minutes.

Cool mixture until lukewarm.

Sift flour and

then measure flour, soda, and salt and sift together.

Set aside.

Cream shortening or butter.

Gradually add remaining 1-1/4 cups sugar and cream together until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time,

beating thoroughly after each addition.

The alternately add flour mixture and

milk, beating after each addition until smooth.

Blend in vanilla and chocolate mixture.

Pour batter into pan and

bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool before frosting. (I left the cake in the pan and only frosted the top. If you are going to serve the cake on a platter, cool about 10 minutes before removing cake to cool on wire rack.)

CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

1/4      cup butter, at room temperature (4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick)
1/8      salt
1/2      teaspoon vanilla
2         cups sifted powdered sugar
2        tablespoons corn syrup
3        ounces unsweetened chocolate (melted)
2-3     tablespoons milk

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

As it melts, stir to make it melt faster. Remove from boiler with water and let cool while you prepare and mix the other ingredients.

Cream butter, salt, and vanilla with electric mixer

til smooth. 

Sift some powdered sugar and then measure 2 cups.

Gradually add powdered sugar to butter mixture.

Add corn syrup.

Add melted chocolate.

Add milk to get a spreadable mixture.

Spread on cooled cake.

Add chopped nuts if you like.

Here is a picture of the first cake I made. The only difference in the two cakes was the extra 3 ounces of unsweetened chocolate I used in the second cake.