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There are cakes, and then there is chocolate fudge cake—a dessert so rich and decadent that a single bite transports you into a world of deep cocoa flavor and velvety ganache. Perfectly moist with a tender crumb, this recipe blends the magic of melted dark chocolate with the depth-enhancing secret of coffee, creating an irresistible experience for true chocolate lovers. Whether you’re baking for a birthday, a holiday, or simply to satisfy a craving, this chocolate fudge cake is the ultimate showstopper. Learn how to perfect the balance of texture, flavor, and indulgence with this easy yet exquisite recipe.
What Makes a Chocolate Fudge Cake So Special?
A classic chocolate cake is light and fluffy, but a true chocolate fudge cake is something entirely different—it’s richer, denser, and packed with deep cocoa flavor. The secret lies in the use of melted chocolate, rather than just cocoa powder, which gives the cake its signature velvety texture. Paired with a luxurious chocolate ganache, this cake offers the ultimate indulgence in every bite.
The Key Ingredients For Chocolate Fudge Cake
Each ingredient in this cake plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect texture and flavor. High-quality dark chocolate creates richness, while buttermilk ensures a tender crumb. A mix of caster and brown sugar adds depth, and instant coffee enhances the chocolate’s intensity without leaving a coffee taste. The ganache, made with double cream and premium dark chocolate, brings everything together for an indulgent finish.
The Secret to a Moist and Rich Chocolate Cake
Moisture is key to a perfect chocolate fudge cake, and this recipe ensures that every slice stays soft. The combination of butter and chocolate creates a luscious texture, while buttermilk provides tenderness. Baking at the right temperature and avoiding overmixing are crucial steps—overmixing can result in a tough cake, while overbaking can dry it out.
Mastering the Chocolate Ganache: The Perfect Finish
Ganache is the crown jewel of this chocolate fudge cake, providing a silky-smooth, glossy finish. The key is to use high-quality chocolate with at least 60% cocoa and double cream for the perfect consistency. Allowing the ganache to set at room temperature before spreading ensures a thick, spreadable texture that envelops the cake beautifully.
Serving and Storing Your Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate fudge cake is best enjoyed slightly chilled or at room temperature, allowing the ganache to soften into a smooth, rich coating. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. For longer storage, you can freeze the cake—just wrap slices individually and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
The Best Chocolate Fudge Cake Ever.
Equipment
- 3 8 inch cake tins
- Piping bag (optional)
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the cake
- 225 g Dark chocolate
- 225 g Unsalted Butter
- 1 tbsp Instant coffee granules
- 175 g Plain Flour
- 25 g Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- 200 g Caster sugar
- 200 g Light brown sugar
- 4 Eggs Medium
- 75 milliliters Buttermilk
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 500 milliliters Double cream
- 500 g Dark chocolate
For the decorations
- Chocolate shavings you can use anything you like skies the limit
- Marbled buttercream
Instructions
- First preheat your oven to 160°C
- Grease and line 3 8 inch/20cm cake tins with parchment paper and set to one side.
- In to a large mixing bowl add in the light brown sugar, caster sugar, plain flour cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Stir so the dry ingredients are all mixed well.175 g Plain Flour, 25 g Cocoa powder, ¼ tsp Bicarbonate of soda, 200 g Caster sugar, 200 g Light brown sugar, 1 tsp Baking powder
- In a separate glass Pyrex bowl add the dark chocolate and butter into a and melt over a sauce pan of boiling water. You can also melt in the microwave if you like.225 g Dark chocolate, 225 g Unsalted Butter
- Pour the coffee granules into 125ml of boiling water and mix well.1 tbsp Instant coffee granules
- Add the coffee to the melted chocolate and butter and stir until smooth.
- Whisk the eggs with the buttermilk.75 milliliters Buttermilk, 4 Eggs
- Now add the chocolate and egg mixtures to the dry ingredients and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The cake batter should be runny with no lumps.
- Pour the cake batter evenly between the three cake tins.
- Pop the cakes into your preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- To test if your cake is cooked simply prick the center of the cake with a skewer, if it comes out clean its cooked if it has a little cake batter stuck to it pop it back into the oven for a couple more minutes and test again.
- Once baked leave the cakes in the tins to cool for a few minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to continue to cool.
To make the chocolate ganache
- Pour the double cream into a saucepan and heat over a low heat for a few minutes. Stir slowly watching that the cream doesn’t simmer or boil.500 milliliters Double cream
- Once the cream is hot remove from the heat.
- Add in your dark chocolate and place a sauce pan lid on top and leave for about 3-5 minutes to melt the chocolate.500 g Dark chocolate
- After a few minutes uncover and stir slowly until the ganache is well incorporated and has a smooth, creamy and glossy texture.
- Place into your fridge for a couple of hours to thicken.
- When it is thick enough to spread simply cover the first cake layer in ganache, top with the second layer of cake and repeat the process with the third cake layer.
- Then with the left-over ganache even spread around the sides of the cake until smooth.
- Then top and decorate any way you like, this time I used chocolate shavings and vanilla and chocolate butter cream.Chocolate shavings, Marbled buttercream
Notes
I added the chocolate ganache to a piping bag to make icing the cake easier to spread and coat evenly.
Nutrition
6 thoughts on “Best Chocolate Fudge Cake Ever”
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Looking for more inspiration? Stay tuned for more decadent dessert recipes, from triple chocolate Crunchie brownies to molten lava cakes, each designed to take your love of chocolate to the next level.
It tasted more like a brownie than a fudge cake. The sponge texture was dry and crumbly. I used my wifes chocolate butter cream frosting instead of the recommended ganche. I’d have given it 5 stars as a brownie cake but wouldnt have kept it in the oven as long.
I will have to try this with the ganache recipe it looks delish.
Good luck Phil let me know how you get on with your fudge cake.
Hello Jennifer, I’m making this fudge cake tomorrow, just wanted to know what was the best chocolate to use for the chocolate ganache?
Hi Gemma, I use Callebaut dark chocolate Callets: https://amzn.to/3iriyJ1 for my ganache as I love how rich it makes it. But if your looking for a slightly lighter and milkier ganache you can use the Callebaut milk chocolate callets: https://amzn.to/3CoH6KD
It all depends on personal preference, good luck tomorrow.
This cake was really so good!! I make it for my mom birthday and she loved it so much. So rich and moist, best ever.