Hyde Park Fudge Cake is based on a recipe from an Austin bakery called Texas French Bread. They named the cake after the neighborhood, Hyde Park, which is located near the U.T. Campus.
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Texas French Bread was very popular back when I lived in Austin, but sadly it burned in a fire in January of 2022. From what I’ve read, they are opening a new location in 2025. Hopefully the famous Hyde Park Fudge Cake will be on the menu. Until then, you can try making a copycat at home. So far I've made this one twice and am looking forward to making it again because it's a fun one! We especially liked the fudge icing which tastes just like actual fudge.
Unusual Measurements
The Hyde Park Fudge Cake measurements are a little unusual, which I think might be because they scaled it down from a much larger recipe. The egg measurement is "2 and ⅔ of an egg" and baking soda and salt are 1 ⅓ teaspoons. American measuring spoons don't even come in ⅓ teaspoons, so you have to eyeball it. So I think this recipe is adapted from one that originally made 3 cakes and called for 8 eggs, 4 teaspoons baking soda, etc. But that's just a guess.
Shortening in Chocolate Bundt Cake
Also, the original version calls for shortening. Bakeries have different, probably better, types of shortening than home cooks. I think most people would want to make this with butter, which might actually dry the cake a little without alterations. I've been sticking with shortening and weighing out the equivalent of ⅔ cup, but it will be fun to try with butter and maybe incorporate oil for extra moisture.
Lots of Unsweetened Chocolate
The core reason why I haven't made this cake more often is that it calls for a whole lot of unsweetened chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate is very expensive and can be drying. There are better cakes that call for mixtures of unsweetened and bittersweet plus cocoa powder. That being said, if you have a lot of unsweetened chocolate to use up, this would be a great cake to try. Or just make the fudge frosting, which is outstanding.
Flour Type
The old recipe just calls for 3 cups of all-purpose flour. This is pretty vague, and 3 cups of unbleached higher protein AP like King Arthur could give you a pretty dry cake. I recommend going with a softer, fluffier lower protein bleached flour or even something like White Lily. Cake flour might even work well. In fact, when I make this again that's what I'll use.
Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
While this cake has a loyal following, I'd like to alter the Hyde Park Fudge Cake recipe a bit and make it even better. Right now I'd stick with the more tried and true Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake.
Recipe
Hyde Park Fudge Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 ⅓ oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped (150 grams)
- ⅔ cup all-vegetable shortening (128 grams) -- same weight as eggs
- 2 ⅔ large eggs OR 3 medium eggs or just weigh 128 grams (128 grams)
- 2 ¾ cups sugar (550 grams)
- ¾ cup buttermilk or sour milk (170 grams)
- 1 ⅓ teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups bleached all-purpose flour, weigh or carefully spoon into cup with a light hand about (370 grams)
- 1 ⅓ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ⅓ teaspoons salt
- 1 ⅓ cups water
Chocolate Icing
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 6 tablespoons evaporated milk (84 grams)
- 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped (84 grams)
- 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter (21 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard size Bundt pan.
- In a microwave or in the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the shortening.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well with the paddle attachment, then add the cooled chocolate mixture.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together so that they are evenly blended, then add to the egg mixture. Beat on low with the paddle just until blended, then increase speed slightly and add water. Beat until blended, but don't overdo it.
- Pour mixture into the pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes.
- Let cake cool in pan for about 20 to 30 minutes, then turn from pan and make the icing.
- Have a cup of boiling water (or use the water from the double boiler) on hand in case you need to use it in the icing.
- In the top of a double boiler with simmering water, heat the sugar with milk until the sugar is dissolved. This should not take long. You'll know it's dissolved when you no longer feel the grains of sugar.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
- Remove the milk mixture from the double boiler and scrape the melted chocolate into the hot milk mixture. Stir until it starts to thicken, then drizzle over the cake. Note, this is when you may need an extra 1 to 2 teaspoons of boiling water. If the sauce isn't shiny or has an opaque look, stir in a tiny bit of water to give it sheen.
Brooke says
I made this cake over the weekend for my family and we all fell in love! So good and moist. My only thing to change for next time, let the iceing settle a bit before putting it on the cake. It was runny and spilled out into the middle. But it was still good!!! Yummy.
Robin says
Hi Anna,
Do you mind if I ask how you were able to get TFB to share the recipe?
I'm an ex-Austinite who still longs for their wild rice salad with walnuts and dried cranberries...
Thanks!
Anna says
Hooray! Glad the all butter sub worked.
Karen says
Postscript: I finally made "my" birthday cake and it came out great, very moist and a nice texture, kinda like gingerbread. I subbed butter for the shortening and just used water, no coffee. We have really enjoyed snacking on it all week long. A great easy cake! Thanks again!
Sue says
Thanks Karen! I'm glad the judges weren't too brutal on your birthday. 🙂
Karen says
Thanks everybody for the birthday wishes from around the globe! The judges weren't too brutal today. I got home in time for my brother to take me to lunch at a new Italian restaurant.
To Sue and Shannon - I often cut a bundt cake recipe in half and bake in a loaf pan. Usually in an 8 x 4 rather than 9x5 for a taller loaf, but either way works.
Anna says
Shannon, I think a tube pan would work.
Sophia says
Happy birthday Karen!
That cake does look wonderful.
Shannon says
This cake looks FANTASTIC! I'd love to make it for work, but don't currently own a bundt pan...do you think another pan would work? I'd hate to ruin the recipe by poorly chosen...erm...hardware!
snookydoodle says
nICE CAKE . LOOKS SO YUMMY
Sue says
For the sake of experimenting with different recipes and not being deluged with cake, would it work to halve a bundt cake recipe and bake it in a loaf pan?
It's time for me to go for a walk. The baked item at my house today is apple pie. Totally ridiculous since there are only two people to eat it, but it's my husband's all time favorite.
Anna says
Hi Annie,
This cake is good, but I do think butter would be better than shortening. Definitely give it a try!
annie says
Anna, how fortuitous I am today, as I was looking for a chocolate cake to bake for my son's birthday tomorrow.I was wondering if I could substitute the shortening for butter as I do not like shortening, nor do I have any on hand. Thank you for the many recipe ideas I have gleaned from your blog.
Heidi says
I didn't even know there was a hood named Hyde Park. I've not had any of those foods (I know, I know, I demanded Amy's the next time we are in town)
Anna says
I'm celebrating Karen's birthday right now with a small piece of cake.
Sue, I will let you know if this is *the one*. It's very good and I love the frosting, but I need to eat some more to decide if it's the best.
Jess, don't feel bad. The only thing on the list I've tried are the french fries from Hyde Park Grill. They're great, but I prefer the fries at Trio in the Four Seasons. Do you follow Dishola? It's more up-to-date. I think the things on the list above are personal favorites of the now-retired restaurant reviewer.
I'm glad Karen's getting a birthday greeting from the REAL Hyde Park. Wow. And another one from Portugal!
clumbsycookie says
Isn't Karen a lucky girl to get such a yummy looking cake?! Happy birthday!
Annie says
Happy Birthday from Hyde Park, UK!
VeggieGirl says
Happy birthday to Karen!!
DAMN that fudge cake looks heavenly.
Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer says
That looks so decedent!!!
Karen says
Wow! I'm in total shock! What a surprise! Thanks so much, that really made my morning - glad I clicked on cookiemadness so early today to see that! I'm appearing in court today, in one hour, so I'm very stressed out and really should not be surfing the web. I'll have to make my cake later and let you know how it comes out!
Thanks so much, Anna!
runjess says
It appears that I've only had one dish on the Top 10 list (Hyde Park french fries). What a shame.
Katrina says
Yum! Happy Birthday, Karen!
aTxVegn says
Definitely one of the best cakes in town. Yours looks lovely!
Sue says
Happy Birthday Karen! That cake looks great!! This recipe is going in the "try it" file. I've been looking for a really good chocolate bundt cake recipe for a long time. I've tried a couple but they're not quite it. Maybe this is the one.