This Glazed Fudge Birthday Cake is a one-layer chocolate cake mixed in a food processor. The chocolate glaze is rich but not too sweet. It is our favorite birthday cake.
What makes a chocolate cake superior?
Your requirements may differ from mine. I like a super moist cake with a fairly tight crumb. The texture should not be too heavy or too airy. Furthermore, the chocolate flavor must be intense.
What about the frosting, or glaze in this case? Not too thick or too sugary and smo-o-o-o-oth on the tongue.
If you agree…BINGO!
Keep reading…
But sometimes, it’s about more than the recipe itself.
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday last Sunday. It’s a tradition in our family. It turned out to be a bittersweet celebration because his mother died the day before.
While frantically going through photo albums before my mother-in-law’s funeral, I found the picture below. It was taken at my oldest son’s birthday party. (I counted the candles.)
I’m just telling you this because I’ve been making it for a long time. It is SO DELICIOUS!!!
Tips for success with Glazed Fudge Birthday Cake:
#1
It’s made in a food processor.
I acquired the recipe while assisting with a cooking school taught by Abby Mandel. At the time, she had just published a new cookbook called Cuisinart Classroom.
This is the only cake recipe I have that is made in a food processor. While I’m sure this cake could be made with a regular mixer, I have never tried it myself. The author originally touted the food processor as a way to make a chocolate cake without melting the chocolate, supposedly quicker and more flavorful.
Maybe Ms. Mandel is right. I’m not sure. Nevertheless, the cake tastes fabulous. Can’t argue with fudge-y, moist, and tender.
#2
You must use a 9-inch springform pan.
Anything smaller and you risk an overflow of cake batter in your oven. On the other hand, you could use an 8-inch pan plus a few cupcakes if you like
You don’t have to use a springform pan. However, the cake is much easier to remove when you do. Be sure to line the bottom as outlined in the recipe.
If you make this and enjoy the recipe, it would help me and others if you would return to this post and leave a rating (on the recipe card itself underneath the picture). Although always appreciated, no comment is required. Thank you for visiting! Paula
Glazed Fudge Birthday Cake
This Glazed Fudge Birthday Cake is a one-layer chocolate cake mixed in a food processor. The glaze is rich but not too sweet.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (3 1/2 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces
- 1 1/4 cup sugar (8 3/4 ounces), divided
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 3/4 cup butter (6 ounces), room temperature, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 tablespoon dark rum (or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 ounces milk chocolate, broken into pieces
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (1 ounce)
- 2 teaspoons dark rum or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper or wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place inside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in work bowl of food processor and process 5 seconds to blend and set aside.
- Place the chocolate and 1/4 cup sugar in work bowl and process 1 minute or until chocolate is finely minced. With machine running, pour hot water through the feed tube and process until the chocolate is melted.
- Add the eggs and cocoa and process 1 minute.
- Add remaining sugar (1 cup) and process 1 minute, stopping once to scrape down the inside of the bowl.
- Add the butter and process 1 minute more. Add rum and sour cream and process 5 seconds.
- Add the dry ingredients and combine by turning the machine on and off 3 or 4 times until the flour just disappears. Do not over process.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the pan.
Glaze
- Put the chocolate and powdered sugar in the work bowl and pulse food processor on and off 3 times to chop the chocolate, then process continuously until it is finely minced.
- Boil water and butter together. With the machine running, pour the hot water and butter through the feed tube and process until the chocolate is melted. Add the flavoring and process for 5 more seconds.
- Refrigerate the glaze until it begins to thicken then spread over the surface and sides of the cake.
Notes
To Decorate: Melt 1 1/2 ounce white chocolate in a small zippered plastic bag. Make a tiny snip across one corner of the bag. Draw parallel strips across the cake. Using a thin knife, draw lines perpendicular and parallel across white chocolate lines to make a chevron design.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 383 Total Fat: 25g Saturated Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 89mg Sodium: 354mg Carbohydrates: 37g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 33g Protein: 3g
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Carl
The original recipe for this Cake appeared in Cusinart Magazine, about 20 years ago……….and it is excellent and I add teaspoon of instant coffee which ives it a very interesting flavor note…..C
Carl
I have made this cake for years, and it was originally printed in an old edition of Cusinart magazine……..and while it may have not been in Abbey Mandel’s book, it certainly was in the magazine…..
Jules
Mmmm. Looks fabulous! Abby Mandel was a pretty amazing woman as well. (She was a friend of my mom’s) Nice tribute!
Katrina
Yum! I’ll take the fudgy cake over the custard tart any day! 😉
Debbie
Cake looks great and what a beautiful tribute to Jo. I have a food processer so no excuse not to make it. Or at least not that excuse!!
Romaine
I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why not. Let me know how it turns out.
Winnie
Hi Paula,
I’ve had the same reaction as everyone else, this is such a beautiful memory of your family time and of Jo. I’m so sorry for the loss to Billy and all the family. I really, really love the look of this cake. I want to make it for Lauren, my granddaughter who is turning “sweet sixteen”
tomorrow, March 1st. She loves chocolate cake, so I think she would love this one! But, I don’t have a food processor, well, I do have a really small one, but I don’t know if it’s big enough to make a cake in…do you think I can make it with just a mixer? Thanks for such a lovely website to enjoy! xoxo
Jacque
Mmm, it looks so nice and chocolatey. Love the decorations, it looks like it came out of a bakery case.
Cute pic, too.
Jill
It looks like this cake has quite a bit of history with your family; what a fitting tribute to your mother-in-law. It sounds like it’s easy to make it in the food processor!
Elizabeth - Cake or Death
That cake is picture-perfect! I’ve never even though to make one in a food processor–sounds downright crazy–but I can’t argue with the end results.
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best
Sorry about your family’s loss. This is a great poster to remember her. The fudge cake looks fantastic!
Susan
What a sweet post to your mother-in-law’s memory. I know too well how hard it is to lose someone you love. The cake looks delicious.
Mimi
Paula,
A lovely tribute to your beloved Mother-in-law. Happy birthday to your Husband.
The chocolate cake looks fantastic. I’ve never made a cake in the food processor, I think I’ll give it a whirl.
mike
Paula, what a wonderful cake! It’s a beautiful tribute to your mother-in-law and to your SO. What a lucky guy… I’ll have to try this – as I love using other devices other than the KitchenAid! And yes, my luck with chocolate cakes is so-so – they are always “falling” during baking for me for some reason… I’m sure this cake was enjoyed (even more) this year!
Kayte
What a wonderful post. I came looking for cookies but found this first (I am a little late this week, what can I say, it’s been a busy week), and I am so happy I got to see/read this post. What a wonderful tribute to your mother-in-law, she sounds like a lovely person. Happy Birthday to your most significant other, and I am cracking up about the comment about your son being a CPA, guess which one…too too funny! The cake is beautiful, a wonderful tradition.
Nancy
I just realized that I didn’t even wish Billy a Happy Birthday! I’m sure this cake and time with his family helped a difficult weekend.