The Ultimate Decadent & Moist Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake Recipe

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Prepare to be absolutely captivated by the most exquisite Chocolate Fudge Cake you’ll ever bake! This isn’t just any cake; it’s a luscious, show-stopping dessert that promises to deliver pure chocolate bliss with every single bite. Imagine three glorious layers of incredibly moist, rich chocolate cake, generously sandwiched and crowned with a velvety-smooth, intensely chocolatey fudge frosting. It’s a harmonious symphony of textures and flavors that will transport you straight to dessert paradise, leaving an unforgettable impression.

This chocolate fudge cake recipe is a true masterpiece for all devoted chocolate fans. Each bite reveals an incredible soft and moist chocolate cake, perfectly complemented by a rich, luxurious chocolate fudge frosting that’s both easy to make and utterly irresistible. It’s the kind of cake that makes any moment feel like a celebration.

Whether you’re marking a special birthday, an anniversary, or simply seeking a delightful escape into sweet indulgence, this cake is poised to become your new go-to obsession. Its depth of flavor and tender crumb make it a truly exceptional treat, perfect for impressing guests or simply indulging yourself and your loved ones.

Craving more chocolatey goodness? Be sure to explore our other decadent chocolate cake recipes, including Nutella Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes, and the elegant Chocolate Ganache Cake. Each offers a unique take on chocolate perfection!

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WHY THIS CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE RECIPE WORKS SO WELL

• Unrivaled Chocolate Fudge Frosting: This recipe features a chocolate fudge frosting that is so luscious and velvety, it will instantly become your new favorite. It’s incredibly quick and easy to prepare, requiring no fancy equipment. Its rich, deep chocolate flavor and smooth texture make this cake utterly addictive, ensuring you’ll want to bake it again and again.
• Perfectly Moist Chocolate Cake Layers: The foundation of this incredible dessert lies in its chocolate cake layers. They are not just moist, but incredibly soft and tender, melting in your mouth with every forkful. Despite their luxurious feel, these cake layers are surprisingly simple and quick to prepare, making the entire baking process a joy.
• Effortless & Quick Baking Experience: Forget about hauling out a heavy stand mixer! This chocolate fudge cake recipe is designed for ease and speed. It’s an incredibly straightforward recipe that only requires a hand whisk, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can create such a spectacular dessert with minimal fuss.

ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT NOTES FOR PERFECT RESULTS

These are some of the key ingredients that make this chocolate fudge cake truly exceptional. For a complete list with precise measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card below.

• All-purpose flour: This provides the primary structure for our cake, contributing to its light and airy texture. For optimal results, I recommend using an all-purpose flour with a protein content between 10-11%. This balance ensures a tender crumb without making the cake too dense or chewy.
• Cornstarch: A secret weapon for super soft cakes! Adding a small amount of cornstarch to your flour mixture helps to tenderize the cake by interfering with gluten development, resulting in an incredibly delicate and soft crumb that you’ll adore.
• Sugars (Granulated & Brown): We use a combination of both for a reason! Granulated sugar provides essential sweetness and also helps retain moisture, contributing to the cake’s moist texture. Brown sugar, on the other hand, adds a wonderful depth of flavor with its subtle caramel and toffee notes, enhancing the overall richness of the chocolate.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These are our leavening agents, crucial for achieving a light and fluffy cake. Baking soda reacts with the acidic ingredients (like cocoa powder and sour cream) to create carbon dioxide, while baking powder provides an additional lift, ensuring a beautifully risen and airy cake.
• Salt: Often overlooked, salt is vital in baking. It doesn’t just add salinity; it enhances and balances all the other flavors, especially boosting the deep, complex notes of the chocolate in the cake.
• Eggs: Always use large eggs and ensure they are at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you plan to bake (depending on your kitchen’s warmth). Room temperature eggs emulsify better with other ingredients, creating a smoother batter and a more consistent cake structure.
• Coffee: Freshly brewed hot coffee is a game-changer for chocolate cakes! It doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee; instead, it remarkably intensifies and deepens the chocolate flavor, making it truly stand out. If you prefer to avoid coffee, hot water can be used as a substitute without compromising the cake’s moisture.
• Oil: Opt for a flavor-neutral oil, such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil. Oil contributes to an incredibly moist cake texture and keeps it moist for longer than butter, as it remains liquid at room temperature.
• Sour cream: This ingredient is a hero for moist cakes! Sour cream adds a significant amount of moisture and tenderness to the cake layers, while also providing a slight tang that beautifully balances the sweetness and richness of the chocolate. It also contributes to a great structure.
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder: For the most intense and rich chocolate flavor, I highly recommend using a high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa has a darker color and a smoother, less bitter chocolate flavor. My personal favorite is from Valrhona.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: These are crucial for our luxurious fudge frosting. Using good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips or finely chopped baking chocolate will ensure a smooth, rich, and deeply flavored frosting.
• Butter: Essential for the luscious fudge frosting, butter provides richness, structure, and a smooth, creamy texture that defines a classic fudge.
• Sweetened condensed milk: This magical ingredient is key to achieving the incredible, almost caramel-like texture and intense sweetness of our fudge frosting. It creates a smooth, thick, and utterly delightful consistency.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – CRAFTING THE VELVETY FUDGE FROSTING

Here’s your detailed guide to creating and baking this spectacular Chocolate Fudge Cake. While the cake layers themselves don’t require a mixer, for best results with mixing ingredients, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer can be helpful for other tasks. You will need three 20 cm/8-inch cake pans, each impeccably lined with parchment paper.

The complete, printable recipe with precise measurements is located in the recipe card further down this page.

STEP 1: To create our irresistible fudge frosting, combine all the frosting ingredients in a sturdy saucepan over medium heat. Using a heat-resistant rubber spatula, continuously fold and stir the mixture as it gently heats. This constant motion prevents sticking and ensures all ingredients melt together smoothly into a homogenous, glossy mixture. Once fully melted and perfectly combined, immediately transfer the frosting into a shallow bowl. This helps it cool down more rapidly and evenly. Cover the surface of the frosting directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Place it in the fridge to cool down to room temperature while you prepare the cake layers. A properly chilled frosting will be easier to spread.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – BAKING CAKE LAYERS & ASSEMBLING

Before you begin mixing, ensure your oven is preheated to 170ºC/ 340ºF (conventional oven setting). Prepare your 3x 20 cm/8-inch cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides. This preparation is key for easy cake release.

STEP 1: Start by brewing your coffee. Measure out the required amount and set it aside to cool slightly. While it’s cooling, gather a large mixing bowl and sift all your dry ingredients together – that’s the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, both sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting is crucial for preventing lumps and ensuring a light, even texture in your finished cake. Give the sifted mixture a good stir with a whisk to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.

STEP 2: In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all your wet ingredients: the vegetable oil, sour cream, room-temperature eggs, vanilla extract, and the slightly cooled hot coffee. Using a hand whisk, gently whisk these ingredients together until they are just combined and smooth. Be careful not to mix too vigorously, as overmixing the eggs can incorporate too much air, which can affect the cake’s final texture.

STEP 3: Now, it’s time to combine the wet and dry mixtures. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. With your hand whisk or a rubber spatula, gently stir the batter until it is just combined. Mix only until no streaks of dry flour remain, being very careful not to overmix. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough, dense cake. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.

STEP 4: Divide the rich chocolate cake batter evenly among your three prepared cake pans. Bake them in the preheated oven for approximately 28-30 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a cake tester or a wooden toothpick into the center of a cake; if it comes out clean with no wet batter attached, your cakes are ready. Once baked, remove the pans from the oven and let the cakes cool on a wire rack for about 5-10 minutes. After this initial cooling, gently invert the cakes from their tins onto the wire rack to cool completely. Allowing them to cool fully prevents them from breaking during assembly.

STEP 5: Once the cakes are completely cool, take the frosting out of the fridge and give it a stir to ensure it’s spreadable. If the cake layers have domed tops, you can level them gently with a serrated knife for a perfectly flat cake. Place your first cake layer on your chosen serving dish or a cake board. If you have a turntable, now is the time to use it! It makes frosting much easier, but don’t worry if you don’t have one; a steady hand works just as well. Add two generous scoops of your prepared fudge frosting to the top of the first layer and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Carefully place the second cake layer on top and repeat the frosting process. Finally, add the third cake layer.

STEP 6: Once all layers are stacked, apply a thin “crumb coat” of frosting around the entire cake – sides and top. This traps any loose crumbs and creates a smooth base. Chill the cake in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set. This step is optional but highly recommended for a professional finish. After chilling, apply the remaining frosting to the entire cake, smoothing it out with your offset spatula. For an elegant touch, you can create a beautiful wavy design on the frosting using the edge of your spatula. Finish by decorating the base or top edge of the cake with extra chocolate chips for a delightful visual and textural contrast.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR YOUR CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

• Achieve Precision with a Kitchen Scale: In baking, accuracy is paramount. My recipes, including this one, default to grams for ingredient measurements. Using a digital kitchen scale is the most precise way to measure your ingredients, ensuring consistent and perfect results every time. It eliminates the inconsistencies that come with volumetric cup measurements.
• Avoid Overmixing Your Batter: Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough, rubbery cake. I always give the batter one final gentle fold with a rubber spatula after initial mixing to ensure everything from the bottom of the bowl is fully incorporated without overworking the mixture.
• Choose the Right Baking Pans: For the best results, I highly recommend using aluminum baking pans. Light-colored aluminum pans reflect heat, allowing the cake to bake more gently and evenly. This results in a softer, more tender cake with a less aggressive crust. Darker baking pans, on the other hand, absorb more heat, which can lead to a darker, tougher crust and potentially a drier cake. Always grease your pans thoroughly and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Ensure your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature before you begin mixing. Room temperature ingredients emulsify more effectively, meaning they combine more smoothly and evenly. This creates a more uniform batter, which in turn leads to a lighter, softer, and better-structured cake.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

To maintain the incredible freshness and moistness of this Chocolate Fudge Cake, store it in the fridge. Ideally, place it under a cake dome or in an airtight container to protect it from drying out and absorbing other odors. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, take the cake out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes. This brings out the best in both the cake’s texture and the frosting’s creamy consistency. The cake is best enjoyed within 2-3 days of baking.

Other Decadent Layer Cake Recipes To Try

If you loved baking and tasting this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW below! Your feedback helps other bakers discover delicious recipes. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats so I can see your beautiful creations. For more baking inspiration and ideas, be sure to follow me on Pinterest!

Chocolate Fudge Cake

This is the best Chocolate Fudge Cake ever! Prepare to be blown away by the luscious delight of this Chocolate fudge cake! Three layers of moist chocolate cake sandwiched together with velvety-smooth chocolate fudge frosting that will send you straight to dessert paradise.

4.98 fra 36 stemmer

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Prep Time

30 minutes
mins

Cook Time

30 minutes
mins

Total Time

1 hour
hr

Course
Dessert

Cuisine
American

Servings

12
slices

Calories

841
kcal

Equipment

• 3x 20 cm (8 in) baking pan see FAQ if you have 1 or 2 baking pans

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

• 180
  g
  powdered sugar
• 190
  g
  butter cut into small cubes
• 1
  tablespoon
  corn syrup
• 250
  g
  semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
• 315
  g
  sweetened condensed milk
• 1 ¼
  teaspoon
  vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 360
  g
  warm coffee or water
  (for instant coffee use 2 teaspoon of instant coffee)
• 360
  g
  all-purpose flour
• 2
  tablespoon
  cornstarch
• 300
  g
  granulated sugar
• 150
  g
  brown sugar
• 75
  g
  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½
  teaspoon
  baking powder
• 1 ½
  teaspoon
  baking soda
• 1 ½
  teaspoon
  salt
• 165
  g
  vegetable oil
• 270
  g
  sour cream
  room temperature
• 3
  large eggs
  room temperature
• 3
  teaspoon
  vanilla extract

The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it’s recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.

Instructions

CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

• Melt all of the ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. With a rubber spatula, constantly fold the mixture together as it heats up. Once all of it has melted and combined, transfer it to a shallow bowl, so it can cool down faster, and cover it with plastic wrap that touches the surface of the frosting. Let it cool down to room temperature in the fridge while making the cake layers.
  180 g powdered sugar,
  190 g butter cut into small cubes,
  1 tablespoon corn syrup,
  250 g semi-sweet dark chocolate chips,
  315 g sweetened condensed milk,
  1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and line 3x 20 cm/8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Start by making the coffee and weigh it out so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients.
  360 g warm coffee or water
• In a bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined.
  360 g all-purpose flour,
  2 tablespoon cornstarch,
  300 g granulated sugar,
  150 g brown sugar,
  75 g unsweetened cocoa powder,
  1 ½ teaspoon baking powder,
  1 ½ teaspoon baking soda,
  1 ½ teaspoon salt
• In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, including coffee, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.
  165 g vegetable oil,
  270 g sour cream,
  3 large eggs,
  3 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking tins and bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.

ASSEMBLING

• Take the frosting out the fridge to make sure it’s at room temperature before assembling. Start by cutting the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top. Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
• Add 2 big scoops of frosting and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and repeat the process. Add the last cake layer and pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes so the frosting can set, making it easier to coat the rest of the cake.
• Take the cake out of the fridge and cover the whole cake in the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Optional, make a wavy design with the frosting, using the offset spatula.
• Finely decorate with chocolate chips around the edge of the cake.

Nutrition

Calories:
841
kcal


Carbohydrates:
108
g


Protein:
10
g


Fat:
44
g


Saturated Fat:
21
g


Polyunsaturated Fat:
5
g


Monounsaturated Fat:
14
g


Trans Fat:
2
g


Cholesterol:
98
mg


Sodium:
649
mg


Potassium:
424
mg


Fiber:
5
g


Sugar:
76
g


Vitamin A:
676
IU


Vitamin C:
1
mg


Calcium:
174
mg


Iron:
4
mg

Keyword
chocolate cake, fudge frosting

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