Valentine's Day - Chocolate Cake with Rum and Raisin Fudge

Valentine's Day 2015, Cake #168 - Chocolate Cake with Rum and Raisin Fudge.

On the plate, instead of a cake, I was supposed to place cute little rum and raisin fudge hearts in cute little paper cups. I made the fudge in the morning but for some reason it just didn't set during eight hours at all. It did not even freeze - except the raisins. Luckily the mixture looked like it could work out as cake covering - and it did! On a chocolate cake which was supposed to be something else than chocolate cake covered with rum and raisin fudge... 

Oh, well. Win-win. The chocolate cake covered with rum and raisin fudge tasted heavenly. 

So, hopefully better luck next time with f-u-d-g-e in cute little papercups.

Rum and Raisin Fudge Cake Covering

100 g raisins, chopped

2 tsp rum essence

500 ml double cream

450 g demerara sugar

150 g butter

150 g white chocolate

2 tsp red food colouring

1. Sprinkle the rum essence on the chopped raisins and let set while you cook the fudge.

2. Mix together cream, sugar and butter and boil on medium heat until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, add chocolate and food colouring and mix well.

4. Fold in the raisins and put the fudge cake covering in the fridge to set while you bake the cake.

Chocolate Sponge
175g self-raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp soda
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs
150 ml sunflower oil
150 ml milk
2 tbsp syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F and grease and flour a Ø 24 cm round cake pan.

2. Sieve flour, cocoa and soda into a bowl. Add sugar and mix well.
3. Make a well in the centre and add syrup, eggs, oil and milk. Beat well until smooth.
4. Spoon the mixture into the pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and leave to cool completely before spreading the fudge.