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:
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It’s intensely chocolatey – thanks to the use of both melted chocolate AND cocoa powder.
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Beautifully moist and fudgy – hence the name!
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Terrific flavour. It truly tastes of chocolate which, as odd as it sounds, is actually rarer than you might think.
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You just need a wooden spoon. No stand mixer, no electric beater.
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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!
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The Chocolate Ganache Frosting is crazy easy too. Cream + chocolate, melt, mix, cool. No beating!
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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!
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Everyday Chocolate Cake – try it decorated with Mirror Glaze!
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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}
Hi Nagi, Please HELP! I would like to make your recipe for EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE for Will’s 21 Birthday cake will be held in Geelong next week-end. I wish to make a large square three layered cake in a 27..5cm square tin which I have. Please let me know how much batter/how many times the quantity for each tin – (which I will make 3 separate times) to assemble with Choc frosting & ganache & would like to finish with Mirror Glaze. Look forward to your reply Dear Nagi!
Thank you, Nagi. This is my new favourite chocolate cake recipe. This cake has made me a fan of chocolate cake again!
Hey Nagi, I am so glad I came across your Chocolate Fudge cake recipe, but I do have a question. I am making a cake for my friends birthday and she loves fudgy brownie textures and tastes. In fact, I make a chocolate crinkle cookie for xmas each year and she thinks it’s the best cookie. Anyhow, looking at all the chocolate cake recipes online, they appear to produce a lighter crumb which I know she wouldn’t like, so I then came across yours, which looks perfect. The question is that when I bake, I always use weights for dry measures as I know scooping has too much variability. For the sugar, you have 1.25 cups or 275g. However, my sugar nutrition label would equate to 250 gram for 1.25 cup. Likewise, for the flour you list 1 cup or 150g, yet my flour bag shows 1 cup equaling 120g. So, why the variation and which gram measurement should I use? Thanks.
Nagi,
You are right. What an easy and delicious cake! I made it for my friend’s 85th birthday and we celebrated at church. It was a huge hit and I will be bringing the recipe for friends next week.
I am not a huge fan of chocolate cake recipes with oil. No matter how little there is and how neutral the oil is, I can taste it. In terms of swaps, how much butter should you use please? Would about 100g of butter, melted, work the same?
Does anyone know if this has to be refrigerated after baking and icing or can it sit on the counter? I tripled the recipe to make a layer cake with a chocolate buttercream in between and I used the ganache to frost the exterior. It turned out so good! Warning, this is a super super rich cake.
Thanks so much Lindsey for the comment about making it a layer cake. That is what I was hoping to do and I don’t see any info about it.
We finished off the cake and my daughter said, “You HAVE to make that cake again…NOW”. Thinking of trying it in a 20cm tin to make the cake a little higher, as it was quite thin. ALthough with this level of richness, maybe it was just right. Agree with comments re ganache – so much left over
I made this cake for hubby’s birthday and it was delicious. Very moist, full of flavour and easy to make. Everyone loved it so it will definitely become part of my go to cake favourites. Thank you! ❤️
I made this cake for a dinner with friends and everyone raved about. Quick & easy to make & perfectly chocolatey. I was a bit concerned I’d undercooked it but it was pretty much perfect. It did come out a bit flat. I might try it in a slightly smaller tin next time to give it a bit more height.
Can you freeze this cake once iced please.
I make and remake this awesome cake. We love it, Thanks, Nagi, for all the great recipes and detail.
NAGI NB: next time you stay in a hotel grab some coffee sachets to add the coffee granules.
I loved this cake.
Amazing flavour and texture.
#genius!
This is the best cake I have made in forever and I bake quite a lot. Was slightly concerned when it came out of the oven as it was cracked and seemed a bit hard on top, so definitely needs icing to hide that. But it was delicious and so easy to make.
amazing. my new go to choc cake recipe
I am not great at baking but after baking this cake I think I am a fabulous baker haha
Delicious 😋 quick and easy.
Another favourite 😍
Thank you Nagi 😊 💓
Okay so I have made it twice, first time I used baking powder that was passed it’s used by date and the cake turned iut flat and dense similar to a flourless choclate cake. It was still delish. 2nd time was great but i think you only need half or a little over half of the ganache as it was too sweet and overpiwering when i used most of the ganache on the 2nd cake.
Sorry if i missed it but how do we store the cake if we want to make it in advance and how long can we store it for. Living in Melbourne 23.02.2023. Thank you in advance
I’d like to know this too! Can it be made ahead of time?
This cake is the chocoholic’s dream come true, We baked it as written and it’s perfection. Thank you Nagi for all the wonderful recipes and the precise instructions. So glad I found your website.
Hello! Sounds a fab recipe and I know it’s going to be a hit! Just a quickie question – can the cake be frozen (without ganache of course….) has anyone tried to freeze it? thanks in advance xx
I made it last time no used a loaf pan , after it cooled completely I wrapped it in press n seal wrap twice n then in foil and froze it . Thawed it on counter (wrapped )when I needed and it was perfect . No condemnation or any other issue .
I would say yes, it would freeze quite well.
Nagi, I made your recipe for my grandson’s birthday. My family went wild over it. It was so moist and flavorful. The ganache was a perfect addition. This is a new family favorite. Thank you