DECADENT CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

DECADENT CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

4 eggs

½ t. baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate mini-morsels, divided

2 (4 oz) bars sweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled

1/3 cup chocolate syrup

2 t. vanilla extract

4 oz white chocolate, chopped

2 T. plus 2 t. shortening, divided

Chocolate and white chocolate leaves (optional

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition

Dissolve soda in buttermilk, stirring well. Add to creamed mixture alternately with flour, beginning and ending with flour. Add 1 cup mini-morsels, melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla, stirring just until blended. Do not overbeat

Spoon batter into a heavily greased and floured 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 25-35 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert cake immediately onto a serving plate, and let cool completely

Combine 4 oz chopped white chocolate and 2 T. shortening in tope of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Drizzle melted white chocolate mixture over cooled cake. Melt remaining ½ cup mini-morsels and 2 t. shortening in small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and let cool; drizzle over white chocolate. If desired, garnish with chocolate and white chocolate leaves