I don’t think this recipe for a rich, fudgy and syrup-drenched cake is originally from Peru, but it’s hugely popular in Lima, and I doubt there is anyone who hasn’t eaten this addictive cake at a birthday party celebration once, or many times. Street vendors, restaurants, cafes, corner stores…they all sell this decadent homemade confection, too tempting for anyone to resist.
My mom learned how to bake it many years ago, when my children were born. She used to go to cooking classes when she visited us in Lima, and she soon became an expert in Peruvian cuisine. She then taught me the recipe, which I then passed to Amelia (our cook), and everybody at home was happy having this delightful cake very often.
The preparation is simple, and you don´t even need a mixer to make it. What is somewhat time consuming is the fudge, which has you slaving away over the stove, stirring the milks with the cocoa until the mixture thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan. Then you have to wait until it´s cool enough to handle, but don’t worry about wasting your time because the result is spectacular.
For me, every moment is good to have a piece of chocolate cake, besides birthdays and other celebrations. I love to have it with a big glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee… Actually I don´t need a reason to indulge in this sweet and moist cake. What about you?
- 3 cups cake flour
- • 8 tablespoons cocoa
- • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- • 1 teaspoon salt
- • 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- • 1 cup vegetable oil
- • 2 cups milk
- • 2 cups sugar
- • 1 tablespoon vinegar
- • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- • 3 eggs
- Syrup:
- • 1 cup water
- • ½ cup sugar
- • 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Fudge:
- • 1 can unsweetened evaporated milk
- • 1 can condensed milk
- • ½ cup cocoa
- • 3 tablespoons hot water
- • 2 tablespoons butter
- Grease a ring mold, and cover the bottom with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a big bowl sift flour, cocoa, coffee, salt, baking soda.
- Make a well in the center and add oil, milk, vinegar, vanilla, eggs, and sugar. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Pour in the prepared baking pan and bake for 1 hour. Let cool.
- Syrup:
- Put water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves.
- Add vanilla essence and cool.
- Fudge:
- Stir cocoa in hot water until dissolved. In a saucepan put evaporated milk, condensed milk and cocoa, cook over medium-low heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture thickens and you can see the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off the heat and add butter. If it´s too thick, add a little milk to it.
- Assemble:
- Cut the cake in three layers.
- Pour some syrup on every layer.
- Spread fudge on the first layer, cover with another cake layer. Repeat.
- Cover the cake with fudge, and sprinkle with toasted nuts or almonds.
This looks so good, so chocolatey, and so moist!
It is pretty amazing. We could eat the whole thing in one go!
I am a chocolate cake lover, I will prepare this recipe this week, it looks amazing!!!
Attempting this recipe now- my bf is from Peru so we shall see how he likes it.
Well I made it and it turned out to my more like a bread dry crake- added syrup and fudge and it was not soft as it should be- it calls for 1 cup oil which I took some out cause the batter was soaked in oil otherwise – not sure what to do- but I tried
Hi Jackie. I´m sure the cake was dry because you did not use the amount of oil specified in the recipe. With the full cup of oil, the cake will not feel soaked or greasy but light and tender. What kind of flour did you use?
IT’s true, you need to follow instructions. I’m not the best cook in the world but I tried this recipe and I even sell this chocolate cake.
I love this recipe does not require the addition of cooking chocolate in the cake! That’s always a delight since cooking chocolate is not always at hand 🙂
That’s right, Abeer. This recipe is very easy to make.
This may be a silly question but can I use any kind of pan? I don’t have a ring pan. Also, do you think coconut oil would work with this recipe instead of vegetable oil? I have both but I tend to use coconut oil more. Thank you!
Hi Tammy. Of course, you can do any shape and size of pan but then you should change the baking time. I think you can use two round baking pans, or a tray pan. The cake won´t be as thick but it will cook through. About coconut oil, I have not used it in this recipe, but a mixture of coconut and vegetable oil could work wonders in the cake, which will have a delicious coconut perfume.
Thank you very much I’ll try it both ways 🙂 we love chocolate cake especially my husband since he’s from Peru.
What are the sizes of the cans of milk?
Hi Ashley. It´s 14-oz. condensed milk, and 12-oz. evaporated milk. Thanks for visiting!
Is it possible to make this recipe without the coffee since I do not consume it? Or is it a must have ingredient?. Thanks!
You can skip the coffee Patricia. No problem.
Hello…am from Tanzania can you use butter instead of vegetable oil and still moist
Hi Shaheen. I’m not sure it melted butter will work here.
The fudge doesn’t need evaporated milk. I made the fudge with just cocoa, and condensed milk. If you add the evaporated milk you will get hot chocolate instead of fudge! I think she messed up the recipe because the fudge never thickened with the can of evaporated milk.
I use whole milk and make it evaporated following another recipe. It takes a long time but it’s worth it and it gets thick you just need to keep moving the spoon until you see the bottom of the pot.
Me.quedo deliciosa gracias para mi es la.mejor receta
la hice hoy, quedo perfecta mejor de mi vieja receta, esponjosa, humeda, hasta en los bordes quedè encantada ahora hago el fudge que mañana la porto a casa de amigos para el almuerzo 🙂