Rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey without complicated steps.
This chocolate fudge cake is rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey, without being overly complicated or fussy.
It is the kind of cake that works for birthdays, gatherings, or anytime you want a reliable chocolate dessert that people actually finish. The batter comes together easily, and the hot liquid added at the end helps create a soft, tender crumb every time.
If you are new to baking cakes from scratch, this recipe is a solid place to start. It uses simple ingredients, forgiving steps, and a classic fudge frosting that is easy to spread and hard to mess up.
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water or hot coffee
For the fudge frosting
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3/4 cup (75 g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease and line two round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
- Pour in the boiling water or hot coffee and mix until fully combined. The batter will be thin.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the fudge frosting
- Beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Beat until thick, smooth, and spreadable.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a small splash of cream
- If it is too soft, add a little more powdered sugar
Assemble
- Spread frosting between the two cake layers
- Frost the top and sides
- Slice and serve
Nutrition per serving
- Calories: 480
- Protein: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Fat: 26 g