Best Chocolate Fudge Cake

Many chocolate cakes simply aren’t all that chocolatey. This chocolate fudge cake absolutely is. It’s rich, super moist, and packed with intense chocolate flavor - a dessert that’ll satisfy your cravings and then some!

this recipe

While this cake doesn’t actually contain any fudge, it’s very rich, very chocolatey, and extra fudgy (hence the name).But unlike a fudgy brownie, it somehow manages to be fluffy at the same time - just another reason why it’s truly the most amazing chocolate cake.

Why I Call This THE BEST

When it comes to cake - the chocolate variety in particular -  my standards are high. It took quite a bit of experimenting to make this one perfect, and here’s why I think it is:

• The cake has a deep chocolate flavor that’s not too sweet - so good you could eat it without frosting.
• It’s extra moist, and stays that way for days!
• You won’t need a mixer for the cake itself - just a bowl, a whisk, and a spatula. The batter comes together in 15 minutes or less.
• The buttercream frosting served with it actually tastes like chocolate - not just sugar with a little chocolate flavor. It’s silky-smooth and so luxurious - hands-down the best traditional chocolate buttercream I’ve ever had.
• It’s hard to mess up!

Ingredients for This Cake

Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to make this super moist chocolate fudge cake recipe:

• You can use regular or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Stick to a good-quality, Dutch process cocoa powder to really get that deep chocolate flavor and rich color in your cake. I used Rodelle for this cake, but I also like Ghirardelli, which is what I used in these equally rich double chocolate cookies.
• Coffee is one of the key ingredients that makes this chocolate fudge cake so moist, and it also enhances the flavor! You can use freshly-brewed coffee, hot water combined with instant coffee/espresso, or even hot water alone.
• Oil tends to work better than melted butter for making a cake that's extra soft and tender, and in a rich chocolate cake like this once, it won’t affect the taste. I typically use avocado oil, but sunflower, canola, and vegetable oil are all fine as well.
• Buttermilk also helps make this chocolate cake moist and gives it a fluffy, tender crumb. You can make your own buttermilk if you don’t have any on hand.
• While it might sound strange, a little bit of vinegar is the final piece to keeping this cake soft and moist, while also helping it rise. I used white vinegar, but apple cider vinegar works too.

Frosting Ingredients

For the chocolate buttercream frosting, you’ll of course need butter and powdered sugar, but the key to really nailing the flavor is a combo of cocoa powder and melted chocolate.

• Use real butter only. I’m going to go against the grain here and say that I prefer salted butter in frosting, but if you want to use unsalted butter, just add a pinch or two of salt to taste. Your butter should be at room temperature - soft enough to press a finger into, but not anywhere close to melting.
• Sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder. I know - it’s annoying - but it’ll make your frosting smoother! If you don’t have a true sifter, just use a large fine-mesh strainer.
• Use the best (Dutch process) cocoa powder and chocolate you can find. It will make ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the flavor of your chocolate frosting. I recommend semisweet baking chocolate with about 65% cacao. I don’t suggest using chocolate chips, which don’t always melt as well and might affect the texture of your frosting.
• Use pure vanilla extract. When you’re only working with a few ingredients, quality really does matter!

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, making sure to break up any clumps.

In a second, medium bowl, combine the hot coffee (or water), avocado oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and white vinegar in order. Whisk them together well.

Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and fold in with a spatula until everything is evenly incorporated, making sure that you don’t have any pockets or streaks of flour/cocoa left. (But don’t be tempted to overmix either!) The batter will be somewhat thin.

Divide the cake batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs. Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Homemade Chocolate Frosting

To make the frosting, start by microwaving the chopped chocolate at 50% power for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smoothly melted. Set aside to cool briefly.

Meanwhile, add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed with the paddle attachment until it’s smooth and creamy.

Scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Add the sifted confectioner’s sugar, sifted cocoa powder, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed until incorporated. Continue beating, increasing the speed to medium, until smooth.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the melted chocolate. Beat the frosting until smooth, light, and fluffy, using a spatula as needed to make sure everything is fully incorporated.

Assembling the Cake

Carefully transfer one cake layer to a cardboard round or cake plate, removing the parchment paper lining in the process. Spread an even layer of chocolate frosting over the cake, and top with the second cake layer. Finally, frost the outside of the cake and decorate as desired.

For the best taste and texture, let the cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating.

Make Ahead Instructions

Although you can easily make and assemble the entire cake a day or two before you plan to serve it, you can also bake the individual cake layers a day before assembling.

Once cool, carefully remove them from their pans, wrap them in a double layer of plastic wrap, and store at room temperature.

More Tips for a Perfect Chocolate Layer Cake

• Weigh your ingredients. Though this recipe is pretty forgiving, it’s always best to measure your ingredients with a kitchen scale for accuracy. A heavy hand with the dry ingredients won’t set you up for a perfectly moist chocolate cake.
• Use a cake turntable and offset spatula for frosting. They’ll make your life so much easier!
• Use a piping bag with a decorative tip (I used a closed star tip) to pipe extra frosting over the top of your cake. Not only will this give it more of a bakery-style appearance, it can be a great way to cover any imperfections!
• Garnish your cake with chocolate sprinkles, chocolate curls, or mini chocolate chips for a little extra flair. If you really want to get elaborate, you can even add a chocolate ganache drip (like the one on this raspberry ice cream cake).
• For a variation on this recipe that's a bit less rich - but equally as fudgy - frost this cake with chocolate whipped cream instead. It's an equally amazing pairing!

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