Chocolate Fudge Cake

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Fudge Cake

If you have been endlessly searching for the ultimate chocolate cake recipe, your search ends here. This isn’t just a chocolate cake; it is a Chocolate Fudge Cake designed for serious chocolate lovers. It strikes that elusive balance between a deeply rich flavor and a tender, moist crumb that stays fresh for days.

Here is why this recipe is about to become your go-to standard for birthdays, holidays, and Friday nights:

• Unbelievable Moisture: Unlike many chocolate cakes that turn dry and crumbly, this recipe uses a combination of oil and buttermilk to ensure a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Deep Chocolate Flavor: We “bloom” the cocoa powder with hot coffee. This technique doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee; rather, it amplifies the cocoa notes, making the chocolate taste more like itself.
• The Fudge Factor: The frosting isn’t a fluffy, airy buttercream. It is a dense, silky chocolate fudge frosting that sets perfectly, reminiscent of the classic bakery-style cakes from your childhood.
• One-Bowl Simplicity: The batter comes together incredibly quickly. You don’t need to cream butter and sugar for ten minutes; it’s a straightforward wet-into-dry method that yields consistent results every time.

Ingredients

To achieve that dense, fudgy texture, precision with ingredients is key. Here is what you will need.

The Moist Chocolate Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: The structural base. Make sure to spoon and level your flour so you don’t pack it down.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and contributes to the moist texture.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Use high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa for a darker color and smoother flavor, or natural cocoa for a taller rise.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: We use both to ensure the heavy batter rises appropriately.
• Salt: Essential to balance the sweetness.
• Eggs: Large eggs, at room temperature, to bind the batter.
• Buttermilk: Reacts with the baking soda to create lift and adds a tangy depth that cuts through the sugar.
• Vegetable Oil: Using oil instead of butter in the cake sponge ensures the cake stays moist even when refrigerated.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Hot Coffee: Freshly brewed and hot. This blooms the cocoa powder, releasing essential oils.

The Fudge Frosting

• Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature.
• Cocoa Powder: Sifted to avoid lumps in your smooth frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar.
• Heavy Cream: Creates that luxurious, spreadable fudge consistency.
• Vanilla Extract: A splash for aroma.
• Salt: A pinch to cut the richness.

Instructions

Follow these steps closely to ensure your cake rises perfectly and creates that signature crumb.

1. Prep and Preheat

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds to guarantee the cakes release cleanly. Dust the sides with a little cocoa powder.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk vigorously to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

3. Add Wet Ingredients

Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. The batter should look smooth and creamy.

4. The Bloom

Turn the mixer to the lowest speed. Carefully pour in the hot coffee. The batter will become very thin and liquid—do not panic! This is exactly how it should look. Mix gently just until combined.

5. Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter), it is done. Avoid over-baking, or you will lose the fudgy texture.

6. Cool

Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely before frosting.

7. Make the Frosting

While the cakes cool, melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and heavy cream, beating until smooth and glossy. If it is too stiff, add a teaspoon more cream; if too runny, add more sugar.

8. Assemble and Serve

Place one cake layer flat-side up on a serving plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top. Place the second cake layer on top. Cover the top and sides with the remaining fudge frosting. Use a spoon to create swirls. Slice and serve with a glass of cold milk.

Expert Tips for Success

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can shock the batter and lead to uneven baking or a dense, rubbery texture.
• Don’t Skip the Parchment: This is a moist, sticky cake. Parchment paper is the only guarantee that the bottom won’t stick to the pan.
• The Cocoa Matter: For the frosting, try to use a high-fat cocoa powder (22-24% fat content). This makes the “fudge” flavor much more prominent compared to standard grocery store cocoa.
• Cooling is Crucial: Do not attempt to frost this cake until it is completely cool to the touch. Because the frosting is butter-based, it will melt and slide right off a warm cake.

Variations

• Black Forest Twist: Brush the cake layers with cherry syrup and add a layer of cherry pie filling between the frosting and the second cake layer.
• Mocha Fudge: Dissolve a teaspoon of espresso powder into the vanilla extract used in the frosting for a mocha-infused topping.
• Salted Caramel: Drizzle homemade salted caramel sauce between the layers and over the top of the finished cake.
• Gluten-Free: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a high-quality 1:1 Gluten-Free All-Purpose flour blend (one that contains xanthan gum).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this cake ahead of time? Yes! In fact, this cake tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. You can bake the layers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze them for up to month, or store the frosted cake in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Why is my batter so runny? This is intentional. The high liquid content (coffee, buttermilk, oil) creates steam during baking, which keeps the cake incredibly soft. Trust the process!

Can I substitute the coffee? If you absolutely cannot use coffee, you can substitute it with hot water. However, the chocolate flavor will be slightly less intense.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

This is the ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe: two layers of incredibly moist, dark chocolate sponge covered in a glossy, rich fudge frosting. Easy to make and perfect for celebrations.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 540

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 0.75 cups unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed preferred
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot brewed coffee

For the Fudge Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 0.6 cup cocoa powder sifted
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.25 cup heavy cream plus more if needed

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
3. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly pour in the hot coffee. Mix just until combined (batter will be very runny).
5. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. To make the frosting: Beat softened butter until creamy. Mix in cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and heavy cream, beating until glossy and spreadable. Add vanilla and salt.
8. Assemble the cake by spreading frosting between layers and covering the top and sides.

Notes

Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Freezing: Unfrosted layers can be frozen for up to 2 months.

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