Chocolate Fudge Cake (Awfully Chocolate Copycat)
A Singapore-style, ultra-rich baked chocolate fudge cake inspired by Awfully Chocolate — dense, ganache-coated and perfect for birthdays, potlucks or kopi breaks.
About this dish
This Chocolate Fudge Cake (Awfully Chocolate Copycat) recreates the famous Singapore cake’s signature dense, deeply chocolatey crumb topped with a glossy ganache. It’s the kind of cake you’ll spot in Tiong Bahru cafés and boutique bakeries — simple, elegant and unapologetically intense. At home it’s a great choice for birthdays, housewarmings, family dinners or a decadent supper after a night at the hawker centre.
The flavour is pure dark chocolate: bittersweet notes from 70% cocoa dark chocolate balanced with a little cocoa powder and vanilla, finished with a shiny cream ganache. Texture-wise, expect a fudgy, almost brownie-like centre that slices cleanly after chilling. Local touches: serve with kopi or teh tarik for a true Singapore pairing, or add a splash of Kahlúa or a teaspoon of instant coffee for extra depth — tricks often used by café bakers here.
This recipe suits home cooks who want a fuss-free yet impressive bake in a typical Singapore kitchen. It’s forgiving — use a bain-marie for glossy melting and bake gently at moderate heat for that molten-yet-set centre. Store in the fridge for make-ahead convenience, then bring to room temperature before serving so the fudge texture shines through.
Ingredients
- 200 g 70% dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
- 200 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 200 g caster sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 30 g plain flour, sifted
- 40 g Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional, enhances chocolate)
- 200 g dark chocolate (for ganache), chopped
- 200 ml heavy cream (whipping cream) for ganache
- 1 tbsp golden syrup or light corn syrup (for shiny ganache, optional)
- Butter and cocoa powder for greasing and dusting the pan
- Chocolate shavings or cocoa nibs for garnish
- Fresh berries (optional, to serve)
- Vanilla ice cream (optional, to serve)
- Optional splash (1 tbsp) Kahlúa or dark rum for the batter
Step-by-Step Method
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan 150°C). Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) springform pan with butter and line the base and sides with parchment paper; dust lightly with cocoa powder.
- Melt the 200 g dark chocolate and unsalted butter together over a bain-marie (double boiler) or gently in 20–30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Add the vanilla and optional Kahlúa or coffee; set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar vigorously until pale and slightly thickened — around 3–5 minutes by hand or 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer. You want a ribbon-like consistency when the whisk is lifted.
- Slowly fold the warm chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs using a spatula, in two additions, taking care not to deflate too much. Fold gently until just combined.
- Sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder and salt over the batter and fold in gently until no streaks remain; avoid over-mixing. The batter should be glossy and thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes until the edges are set and the centre still has a slight wobble — a skewer inserted near the centre should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then release and cool completely. For best texture, chill the cake in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set the fudgy crumb and make slicing cleaner.
- Make the ganache: heat the 200 ml cream until just simmering, then pour over the chopped 200 g dark chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until smooth. Stir in golden syrup for shine and a small knob of butter if desired; cool slightly until pourable but thick.
- Place the chilled cake on a rack over a tray and pour the ganache over the top, using a spatula to smooth and let it drip down the sides. Return to the fridge for 20–30 minutes to set the ganache.
- To serve, bring the cake to room temperature for 20–30 minutes so the fudge texture softens. Run a hot knife (wipe between cuts) for clean slices and garnish with chocolate shavings, a dusting of cocoa powder, or fresh berries.
- Store leftover cake wrapped in cling film in the fridge for up to 5 days. For make-ahead, assemble and chill up to 48 hours before serving; take out 30 minutes prior to serving for best texture.
Tips & Serving Ideas
- For the best deep chocolate flavour use a good quality 70% dark chocolate available at NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or specialised stores like Phoon Huat; Callebaut or Lindt bars work well.
- Warm the ganache until pourable but not hot — too hot ganache can melt the cake surface; cool it slightly before pouring for a neat glossy finish.
- Use a bain-marie to melt chocolate gently and avoid burning. In a Singapore kitchen with a small microwave, melt in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between each burst.
- To slice neat pieces, warm a large knife under hot water, wipe dry and make a single clean cut; repeat warming between cuts.
- If you prefer a firmer cake, bake 5–8 minutes longer; for a molten centre, shave 3–5 minutes off. Singapore ovens vary in heat — check the centre wobble as your cue.
- Make-ahead: the cake keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving so the fudge texture returns. Great for potluck transport — keep chilled and slice on arrival.
- Adjust sweetness by reducing caster sugar by 20–30 g if you like a more bitter, adult-style cake similar to Awfully Chocolate’s profile.
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