A decadent dessert that perfectly captures the essence of summer, featuring layers of chocolate cake soaked in homemade fudge sauce and topped with fresh strawberries.
Ingredients
Scale:
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 cup granulated sugar (for fudge sauce)
½ cup cocoa powder (for fudge sauce)
½ cup butter (for fudge sauce)
½ cup milk (for fudge sauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for fudge sauce)
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (for topping)
Whipped cream (for serving, optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Carefully stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin, but this is normal and ensures a moist cake.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Use a skewer or fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
Meanwhile, prepare the fudge sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the warm fudge sauce over the poked cake, allowing it to soak into the holes. Let the cake cool completely.
Before serving, top with sliced strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream if desired.
