Fudge Cakes

These sit right in the sweet spot between a brownie and a chocolate cake. Melted unsweetened chocolate goes into a creamed butter-sugar base with egg yolks and milk, then chopped nuts get stirred in and stiffly beaten egg whites get folded in at the end. That meringue fold is what makes these lighter and more cake-like than a standard brownie while keeping the dense, fudgy center.

Only ⅔ cup of flour for the whole batch means the chocolate and butter do most of the structural work. This is a batter that barely holds together before the egg whites go in, and that’s exactly right. More flour would push these toward dry cake territory instead of staying rich and fudgy.

Bake in a 9×9 pan for bars, or fill paper-lined muffin cups one-quarter to one-third full for cupcake brownies. Either way, frost with chocolate frosting after cooling for the full fudge experience.

Kitchen Tips

• Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold gently. This is the only leavening beyond the small amount of baking powder
• Melt the chocolate and let it cool slightly before adding to the batter. Hot chocolate will cook the egg yolks on contact
• Grease the pan well and flour only the bottom. Flour on the sides prevents the cake from rising evenly
• Don’t overbake. These should feel just set in the center. The fudgy texture comes from being slightly underdone

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter for a mocha fudge cake
• Use pecans or walnuts for the chopped nuts
• Skip the frosting and dust with powdered sugar for a simpler finish