A rich chocolate torte with a hidden layer of creamy chocolate fudge and a crunchy macadamia topping. Puréed pears keep the cake exceptionally moist, while warm butterscotch-caramel fudge sauce and optional vanilla ice cream make it an especially decadent dessert.
Servings: About 10–12
Prep Time: About 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45–50 minutes, plus cooling
Prep Time: About 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45–50 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients:
Chocolate Fudge Filling:
- ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cake:
- 1 package pudding-included devil’s food cake mix
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 (16-ounce) can sliced pears in light syrup, drained
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup chopped macadamia nuts or pecans
- 2 teaspoons water
Butterscotch-Caramel Sauce:
- 1 (17-ounce) jar butterscotch-caramel fudge ice cream topping
- ⅓ cup milk
- Vanilla ice cream, optional, for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the fudge filling. In a small saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, cinnamon and oil. Blend on low speed until crumbly, about 20–30 seconds.
- Purée the drained pears in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Measure 2½ cups of the cake-mix mixture into a large bowl. Add the puréed pears and eggs.
- Beat on low speed until moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared springform pan.
- Drop the chocolate fudge filling by spoonfuls over the batter.
- Stir the chopped macadamia nuts and 2 teaspoons water into the remaining crumbly cake-mix mixture. Sprinkle evenly over the fudge filling.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched in the center.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan and cool for about 1½ hours, or until completely cool.
- To prepare the sauce, combine the butterscotch-caramel fudge topping and milk in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm and well blended.
- Spoon some warm sauce onto each dessert plate and place a slice of torte on top. If desired, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Tip: Macadamia nuts give this dessert its distinctive flavor, but pecans can be substituted as indicated in the original recipe.
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