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Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake

By:Nagi
667 Comments
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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!

Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake being cut

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…. 🙂 )

Close up of slice of Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake, ready to be eaten

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!

How to make easy Chocolate Fudge Cake

↑↑↑ 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.

How to make Chocolate Ganache

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!

Overhead photo of Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake with Chocolate Ganache frosting

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Close up of Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake

Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 10 mins
Cake
Western
4.97 from 123 votes
Servings12 - 16
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. This cake is rich, very chocolatey and super moist! It's based on a brownie / mud cake recipe - but with a bit of extra rise so it's not as dense and gooey. This recipe is easy and it's virtually foolproof - it is VERY forgiving! It's not very tall because it's so rich and it's a single layer cake.

Ingredients

  • 125g / 4 oz dark chocolate chips (Note 1)
  • 100g / 7 tbsp butter , salted
  • 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:

1. Chocolate - I usually make this with dark chocolate chips. If making this for company, I will use good quality 70% cocoa dark chocolate. Any baking chocolate will work great - even milk chocolate. Just be sure to use cooking chocolate sold in the baking aisle. Don't use eating chocolate - it doesn't melt properly and is too thick for batter.
US: semi sweet chocolate is perfect, I always bring back a stash when I visit the states!
2. Sugar - Normal white / granulated sugar works ok too. Even brown sugar works
3. Cocoa - Ordinary, unsweetened cocoa powder is what I usually use. To pimp it up, use good quality Dutch processed.
4. Self raising flour can be substituted in place of plain flour + baking powder.
5. Coffee - a touch of coffee brings out the chocolate flavour but doesn't make the cake taste like coffee. Because I don't use coffee granules for day to day purposes, I usually do not have it on hand so I don't use it most of the time. The other option is to use a hot cup of coffee in place of the water - same quantity (1 cup / 250 ml).
6. Cream - you must use cream with 30%+ fat in order for the ganache to set. Heavy / thickened cream is ideal. Low fat will not work. Some pouring creams (ie not whippable) are lower fat and also will not work.
7. Handling: Because the cake is so fudgy, it's delicate so handle gently. The cake is more delicate when warm (as all cakes are) so don't try to remove the base until it's completely cool. If you don't have a springform pan, just cool the cake in the pan.
8. Ganache -  pourable when warm, thickens to a spreadable consistency when cooled (which is what you want to frost this cake) and when refrigerated for a few hours, hardens to a chocolate truffle consistency. If you leave it in the fridge for slightly too long i.e. too hard to spread, just microwave for 10 seconds to soften then mix.
9. Different Measures in Different Countries: Measuring cups and teaspoons differ slightly between America, Canada and most of the rest of the world. For most recipes, the difference is not enough to affect the outcome. However, for baking recipes it can mean the difference between success and an epic fail.
Every baking recipe on my site is cooked using each Imperial and US measurements, and this one is no exception. It works as written regardless of what country you are in (except Japan, see note below). As noted in post, it is  actually quite forgiving because it's so moist and fudgey. 
Japan: If you are in Japan, please ensure you weigh the flour, sugar etc. Do not use Japanese measuring cups, they are too small.
10. Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake Nutrition per slice assuming this serves 12. This is a VERY big slice!

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 473cal (24%)Carbohydrates: 48g (16%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 29g (45%)Saturated Fat: 18g (113%)Cholesterol: 72mg (24%)Sodium: 53mg (2%)Potassium: 318mg (9%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 31g (34%)Vitamin A: 540IU (11%)Vitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 136mg (14%)Iron: 1.3mg (7%)
Keywords: Chocolate Fudge Cake
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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!

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}

Dozer golden retriever dog chocolate ganache on head

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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667 Comments

    • Nagi says

      Hi Kimmy, I use a 250ml cup but if you click the “metric” toggle above the ingredients, everything will be listed in ml/grams (which is the same no matter where you are located) – N x

      Reply

  3. Bronwyn Trainer says

    5 stars
    This was super easy and SO DELICIOUS! So unexpected considering I’ve only ever made dry, mediocre chocolate cakes.

    I made it for my daughters 4th birthday and was disappointed we are currently in stage 4 lockdown (thanks Coronavirus!) so I couldn’t show off to anyone.

    This actually got better after day 1 too. Can’t recommend more!

    Reply

  4. Sarah Phillips says

    5 stars
    Amazing, my 8 year old daughter made this cake, by god it is so good!!!, hubby tried some and said it was better then you can get in a restaurant. Looking forward to making it again. Currently on day 3 it’s not in a tub just on a plate kept in microwave and it is still lovely and moist. Only downside it’s do s rummy I had 3 pieces yesterday. 👍🏻👍🏻

    Reply

  5. Sarah Phillips says

    5 stars
    Amazing, my 8 year old daughter made this cake, by god it is so good!!!, hubby tried some and said it was better then you can get in a restaurant. Looking forward to making it again. Currently on day 3 it’s not in a tub just on a plate kept in microwave and it is still lovely and moist. Only downside it’s do s rummy I had 3 pieces yesterday. 👍🏻👍🏻

    Reply

  7. Kimberly says

    5 stars
    Awesome recipe. I’m a sucker for a bit of caramel also so I split the batter into 2 tins and added a thick caramel sauce in the middle and covered the whole cake with the ganache.

    Reply

  9. Michelle says

    This recipe makes fabulous cup cakes. I filled the cupcake liners to 1/3 and baked for about 35 mins, let them cool and piped the ganache on top with a maraschino cherry ! First time I’ve ever baked cake without a packet mix !
    Thank you Nagi, you’ve literally changed my life. I’ve made 3 batches of Byron Bay cookies, roasted pumpkin soup twice, and 5 other recipes from your collection and it’s given me amazing confidence to finally spend some quality time in my kitchen. Thank you !!!

    Reply

  10. Izzathul says

    Hi nagi,
    I made this cake today but it rose to the brim of the cake pan and sunk in once it is fully baked. I want to try this again but please advice what went wrong. Please reply

    Reply

  13. Goj says

    I baked this cake last night and it came out moist and fudgy, like brownies. Is that how it’s meant to be? The skewer came our clean so I’m not sure if it’s raw or not. Thanks!

    Reply
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