majorie: i am typing chef Carole Wslter's Fudge-nut candy cake from "The Complete Master Chef". I made this cake only once as it is very rich and sweet. If this is not what you are looking for, I hope you find your childhood memory soon... good luck.
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Fudge-Nut Candy Cake
serve 12-14
120g/ 4 oz good-quality plain chocolate, finely chopped
375 ml/ 12 fl. oz. milk
1 T. instant espresso coffee powder, dissolved in 1 t. boling water
275 g /10 oz plain flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
175 g/ 6 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature
425 g/ 15 oz caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 t. vanilla essence

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Butter two 22cm/9 in round cake tins and line the bases with nonstick baking paper.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate in half of the milk, stirring until smooth. Cool to tepid. Add the dissolved coffee to the remaining milk. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together three times.
Using an eletric mixer, cream the butter until very light. Gradually add the sugar, taking 6-8 minutes to incorporate it. add the eggs, one at a time, beating well, then add chocolate mixture and the vanilla essence.
Fold in the flour mixture alternately with the coffee-flavored milk, beginning and ending with flour. Divide the mixture between the two tins.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm to the touch and coming away from the sides of the tins. Leave the tins on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then turn out, remove the baking paper and leave to cool completely before filling and icing.

Fudge-Nut Candy Icing:

125 g/ 4 oz + 2 T. unsalted butter
175 g/ 6 oz good quality plain chocolate, chopped
175 gz/ 6 oz dark brown sugar
2 T. light corn syrup (liquid glucose)
1/4 t. salt
2 t. instant espresso coffee powder
125 ml/ 4 fl. oz. boiling water
300 g/ 11 oz. icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 t. vanilla essence
1 t. lemon juice
125 g/ 4 oz toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

For a 22 cm/ 9 in layer cake
Place 125g/ 4oz butter, the chocolate, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt in a large saucepan. Dissolve the coffee powder in the water and add to teh saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, then simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from teh ehat and whisk in the icing sugar in 3 additions. Stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Add the remaining butter and beat until smooth and shiny. Stir in walnuts. Set the pan in a bowl of ice-cold water, stir until thickened, but still warm. If the icing becomes too stiff to spread, reheat.