Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
  3. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together in a double boiler over hot water.
  4. In the meantime, heat buttermilk gently in a saucepan until just a little warmer than body temperature.
  5. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, 1 cup of the brown, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  6. Mix well, using your hands if necessary to break up any lumps to achieve a uniform mixture.
  7. Stir in chocolate chips, if using.
  8. Pour the butter/chocolate mixture into buttermilk.
  9. add vanilla and then pour into the dry ingredients.
  10. Stir until well combined.
  11. Spread into prepared pan.
  12. Combine remaining 1 1/4 cups of brown sugar with unsweetened cocoa in a small bowl.
  13. Sprinkle this over the batter in the pan as evenly as possible.
  14. Next, pour boiling water gently and evenly over the sugar/cocoa mixture; do NOT stir.
  15. Place the pan immediately into the preheated oven.
  16. Bake for 30- 35 minutes, or until the center feels firm to the touch.
  17. Watch carefully, as it tends to over brown around the edges.
  18. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
  19. Best cooled for 2 hours.
  20. The finished result is a cake with a fudgy sauce hidden underneath.
  21. When serving, invert the cake so that the fudgy sauce becomes a topping.
  22. Serve with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or whipped cream.