A very chocolatey, moist Chocolate Fudge Cake that is similar to chocolate mud cake, but not as dense. Made with both melted chocolate and cocoa, AND topped with chocolate ganache, this one is sure to satisfying your chocolate cravings!
Super easy to make, very forgiving, no stand mixer or beater. Just one bowl and a wooden spoon!
Chocolate Fudge Cake
I may be disowned as an Australian for saying this, but I’m not the hugest fan of classic Chocolate Mud Cake. I find it too dense and doughy, and it gets stuck to the roof of my mouth. It’s very……erm…..mud-like.
Duh.
Creative writing isn’t my forte, is it?? Hey – I’m a food blogger. Not a writer! 😂
So this isn’t a classic Chocolate Mud Cake because it has a bit of lift in it, but it is still way fudgier and mud-cake like than 99% of other chocolate cakes, including my own everyday Chocolate Cake. Call it a Chocolate Fudge MUD CAKE if you want!! (Bit too much of a mouthful for me…. 🙂 )
Why I love this fudge cake so much
I know there are a LOT of chocolate cake recipes “out there”. But here’s why I love this Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake so much:
It’s intensely chocolatey – thanks to the use of both melted chocolate AND cocoa powder.
Beautifully moist and fudgy – hence the name!
Terrific flavour. It truly tastes of chocolate which, as odd as it sounds, is actually rarer than you might think.
You just need a wooden spoon. No stand mixer, no electric beater.
It’s virtually foolproof. I’ve cooked it on high for shorter periods of time, and low for longer. I’ve had to dash out of the house before it was fully cooked and left it in the oven (turned off) to finish cooking. And it always works out. Why? Because it’s so fudgey, it is actually hard to overcook so it becomes dry and it is not meant to rise very much so you don’t have to worry about that part either!
The Chocolate Ganache Frosting is crazy easy too. Cream + chocolate, melt, mix, cool. No beating!
Everyone goes mad over this. Chocolate on chocolate. Enough said!
How to make this fudgy moist cake
You would be forgiven for thinking you’re making a brownie when you start making this Chocolate Fudge Cake. Because that is in fact where the roots of this cake recipe is drawn from.
Did you know… The reason you see hot water in chocolate cake recipes is because it makes the cocoa “bloom”, making the cake taste more like chocolate!
↑↑↑ Crackage is normal! It’s kind of like that crinkly top of brownies – because this cake has lift in it from baking powder, it “bursts” through the crinkly top. But don’t worry, the cracks are less prominent once it cools (because it sinks a bit) and it’s completely hidden under Chocolate Ganache!
Difference between chocolate fudge cake and mud cake
I had someone on Instagram asking me what the difference is between Fudge Cake and Mud Cake so I thought I’d explain!! Chocolate mud cake is so dense that it cuts cleanly with perfect edges and virtually no crumbs.
In contrast, fudge cakes have more of a cake-like texture, like what you see in the close up of the slice at the top of this post.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
I’m of the opinion that if we’re going to make a Fudgy Chocolate Cake, let’s really drive home the decadence and chocolate flavour by frosting it with chocolate ganache.
If you’re new to Chocolate Ganche, you’re going to really love this. Rather than beating icing sugar and butter for ages and ages like we do with Chocolate Buttercream, Chocolate Ganache is made simply with cream and chocolate that’s heated until the chocolate melts.
When hot, it’s a chocolate sauce you want to pour over everything.
When it cools, it has the consistency of peanut butter. Easy to spread and swirl on your cakes or cupcakes, and everything in between.
My everyday Chocolate Cake is beautifully moist and it’s the one I make most often.
But I figure we all need a blow out Chocolate Cake in our repertoire too. And this Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake is my blow-out Chocolate Cake recipe. It is rich. It is chocolatey. It is moist and fudgy. And I absolutely love it.
I hope you consider trying it! – Nagi x
Get your chocolate fix!
Everyday Chocolate Cake – try it decorated with Mirror Glaze!
Chocolate Cream Pie (outrageous!!!)
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ingredients
- 125g / 4 oz dark chocolate chips (Note 1)
- 100g / 7 tbsp butter , salted (or unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt)
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar , caster / superfine best (Note 2)
- 1/4 cup oil (vegetable, canola)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs , at room temperature
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (Note 3)
- 1 cup flour , plain / all purpose (Note 4)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup boiling hot water
- 1 tbsp coffee granules , optional (Note 5)
Ganache
- 1 cup heavy / thickened cream , 30%+ fat (Note 6)
- 250g / 8 oz dark chocolate chips (Note 1)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150C/300F (standard) or 130C/265F (fan). Grease a 22 cm / 9″ springform cake pan and line with parchment / baking paper.
- Melt butter and chocolate: Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave 3 x 30 seconds on high, mix in between, until melted. Mix.
- Oil, vanilla & Sugar: Add oil, vanilla and sugar, mix to combine (this brings down batter temp).
- Eggs: Add eggs and mix until combined.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift cocoa, baking powder and flour (and coffee, if using) directly into the bowl. Mix until smooth, batter will be thin. Some small lumps is ok.
- Hot water: Add hot water. Mix until incorporated.
- Bake: Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out moist but clean. Check at 50 minutes. The surface will crack (sometimes badly!) but sill subside when it cools and gets covered with frosting so don’t stress!
- Cool: Remove sides from the cake pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Cool completely before carefully handling to remove base (Note 7).
Ganache (Note 8)
- Place chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl. Microwave 3 x 30 seconds, mixing in between, until chocolate melts. DO NOT let cream come to boil.
- Stir chocolate until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until thickened to a spreadable consistency like peanut butter.
- Spread over the cake – tops and sides. Use a teaspoon in a swirling motion to achieve the textured surface you see in the photos.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe published May 2016. Recipe slightly updated November 2018 with improved cake texture and a more streamlined process. New photos, new video, new words!
Let them eat cake! 10 classic cake recipes
LIFE OF DOZER
I shooed him outside thinking that brown smear on his head was 💩
Turns out it was ganache 😂 It was driving him crazy trying to figure out a way to get to it! {PS No I never give him chocolate! I have no idea how it got there}
Made for my wife’s birthday. Used a full stick of butter. I added sugar to the ganache because my wife is not a dark chocolate fan. Was a hit! Cake tasted even better the second day after being refrigerated. Mine turned out dense, almost dense cheese cake like, but it was very velvety. Best chocolate cake I have made/tasted.
Same here Steve – so dense and mine is in the fridge. Holy cow…so good. Best recipe ever. I just made a chocolate butter frosting – very delish. I will have to social distance myself from it….
Can you please tell me the quantities for a 24 cm springform pan..
Hi Ravalo – just make as per the recipe although the cake will be slightly shorter. N x
Hi, can you please tell me the quantities for a 2 layer 8 inch cake. Thanks
I’ve got this in the oven right now at 130 (fan forced), it’s been in for 1.5hrs and still WAY off being cooked……did I read the temp wrong?
Im having the same issue, mines been in just short of an hour and no where near cooked. I have a brand new oven only 2 years old and never had this problem before. Hoping it cooks!
I had mine in a fan forced oven and it took about an hour and a half. Cake turned out dense but absolutely delicious.
Hi Mel, that’s the correct temp – could there be a problem with your oven by any chance? N X
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday and everyone raved about it. Very moist and delicious! Thanks for another great recipe, Nagi! My husband calls you the queen of cooking and I wholeheartedly agree!
This cake is delicious! Your recipes make me so happy Nagi 😀
Your Recipes never fail. This Cake was the Bomb!!! Absolutely love your recipes!! With your recipes I know I can always bake and cook with confidence and serve gracefully.
I made this cake yesterday and it is delicious. I iced it with a chocolate butter cream as I didn’t have the ingredients for the ganache. There is hardly any left.
Thanks Nagi for another great recipe!
Hi I tried this cake and it turned out amazing. I have some left over ganache I want to use it to make frosting for other cake how do I do that.
Hi, just want to clarify the cake will be baked at 150c right?
Hi Renz – the temp is noted in step 1 🙂 N x
Thank You Nagi. i made it it taste so good but it was only about 1 inch height so was double checking if i was right with the temp🙂
So easy, so delicious! One of the best chocolate cakes on the internet! It had a lot of little bubbles on it while it was cooking is that ok?
Bubbles on the batter Erin? It’s perfectly normal, I’m so glad you loved it! – N x
Hi Nagi,
I tried this yesterday and the cake turned out amazing, thank you!
My icing however didn’t thicken up to the right consistency even though it had plenty of fridge time. What brand of heavy/thickened cream do you use? I used full fat thickened cream so I’m wondering that whether I should try another brand or another type of cream?
Thanks! Love all of your recipes!
Made half the recipe in a 6 inch tin. First cake I’ve ever made and I’m absolutely delighted with the result. More importantly, my wife, who’s a superb and very discerning baker, loved it. I’ll definitely give this ago again sometime.
Nagi, I’ve no idea why when I used a 9” springform pan, the cake ended up really short, like 1”? Is that normal? Or did I do something wrong? Any advice is appreciated!
Hi Joyce,
Your baking powder may have been old, so the cake didn’t rise like it should.
Thanks for responding Gloria! However I did try using my baking powder this morning to make pancakes and they were fluffy good. Hmmm, any other ideas as to why this happened will be much appreciated!
Nagi, I’ve no idea why when I used a 9” springform pan, the cake ended up really short, like 1”? Is that normal? Or did I do something wrong?
Hi Joyce. I have made this cake several times and it is not a tall cake. Around 1 inch high sounds about right. 🙂
Same here! but just want to clarify it should be baked at 150c yah?
Yes, that’s right and the recipe says 130 degrees if you are using a fan forced oven. 🙂
Thank you for replying Marjorie! I tried baking this a second time – this time doubling the amount of baking powder and it was a little taller hahaha! Most importantly, it was amazing, moist and fudgey – leaps better than my first try!
Personally love my baked goods less sweet so I used only 100g of sugar only. Perfect for me – was just slightly sweet without being too cloying. I also used 60% chocolate couverture chips for my ganache, and found that a tad sweet – will definitely retry with a 70% chocolate couverture next time when I bring this to a party.
I also had A LOT of ganache leftover. I’d recommend to reduce the ganache measurements by 4 times.
Brilliant recipe! Clear and easy to follow instructions. Made it for my sister’s birthday! Went down a treat, thank you Nagi 😀
hi can i cover this in sugarpaste for a celebration cake.
Hi Nagi. Can I reduce the sugar instead of 2 cups may be 1&1/2. I have tried other cakes with 2 cups of sugar and it was too sweet for me.
Hi Megha, I haven’t tried sorry – it may affect the texture of the cake. N x
Absolutely loved this recipe. Has anyone tried to make it with White chocolate? Would measurements be the same minus the cocoa powder and coffee?
Can i bake this in a 9 by 13 inch pan?
Hi Nagi love all your recipes thanks…. just baked this cake it didn’t rise hardly I used s/r flour… does it normally rise a bit? Thankyou.
Hi Patricia, it is a fudge cake so is supposed to be slightly more dense. Did you add baking powder? N x