One-Bowl Chocolate Fudge Cake (SO Moist!)
If you’re after the ultimate chocolate fix, my Chocolate Fudge Cake is where it’s at! This fudgy chocolate cake is insanely moist, fluffy, and topped with a rich fudge frosting that chocolate lovers won’t be able to resist. The secret to this perfect fudge cake recipe? A little boiling water and a touch of coffee! Let’s dive in and see how it all comes together.
Zita ★★★★★
The most delicious, soft, and flavourful chocolate cake ever! So rich but still so fluffy, and the ganache is the best I’ve ever tasted. The addition of butter makes it so silky. I added fresh berries to the filling and it was divine. Thanks for a great recipe, Nick!
Hey team! If you’re anything like me, a chocolate lover who needs their next hit but wants something simple that’s made in one bowl, then this is the perfect recipe for you! The only thing you need to figure out is if you want to share this cake or keep it for yourself!
When it comes to chocolate, I’ve got plenty of options on the site that’ll hit the spot. Whether it’s this Chocolate Brownie Mousse Cake, or this Irresistibly Good Chocolate Layer Cake, these are just a few of my tested and perfected homemade cake recipes that always deliver on flavor and indulgence. Trust me, you’ll want to try them all!
You only need to know two things about this cake.
The texture and flavor.
- Texture – what I love about this cake is how perfectly the silky-smooth ganache pairs with the fluffy cake. This cake is moist, light and overall fudgy. The frosting is rich, smooth and fudgy.
- Flavor – the cake is rich in chocolate flavor. That’s partly because of the addition of boiling water mixed with coffee which both help intensify the flavor, but also because of the use of cocoa powder and melted chocolate. The fudgy frosting is sweet which pairs so well with the cake which is not overly sweet!
This is my SECRET to getting this cake fudgy!
The boiling water! Adding boiling water to the cake batter as the last step results in an ultra-moist and fluffy cake!
- It helps give the cake a smooth, soft and fluffy texture.
- It helps intensify the chocolate flavor. Boiling water is usually added when cocoa powder or melted chocolate is added to a cake and helps intensify chocolate flavor.
- The addition of boiling water adds moisture to the cake which helps it last longer and stay moist for longer.
- Lastly, it reacts with the baking powder to help give it the ultimate boost of air in the oven for a fluffy cake!
Let’s talk Chocolate Fudge Frosting!
The recipe for my Chocolate Fudge Frosting is essentially my new and improved 5-Minute One-Bowl Silky Chocolate Ganache Frosting. The one thing you need to know is that this frosting relies on really good quality ingredients to be ultra-indulgent!
- Make sure you use really good quality cooking chocolate (not to be confused with eating chocolate). Dark is best so that it doesn’t make the frosting overly sweet.
- The butter makes the frosting rich, silky and smooth so don’t skip it!
- It all comes together to create something that perfectly pairs with the fluffy fudge cake! Alternatively, this cake also pairs well with my chocolate buttercream!
How to make the fudgiest chocolate cake ever!
- Melt the chocolate and butter together. I did it in a double boiler but you can do it in a microwave safe bowl too. Once it’s melted, let it cool as close to room temperature as you can. About 10-15 minutes.
- Add the eggs and sugar and mix in using a whisk.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until they’re not showing. Make sure you don’t overmix. Only mix until no dry ingredient are showing.
- Add the boiling water and mix. It’s a really thin batter! Like ridiculously thin, totally normal!
- Split it amongst the two 20cm / 8-inch cake tins and bake!
Tip – Spray the sides and bottom of your cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper for an easy release after baking.
- You’ll want to carefully run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it before turning over onto a cooling rack to cool down completely.
- Use a serrated knife or cake leveler to trim the top and level it off. This is optional, but it will give you neat looking layers.
TIP: For extra moist layers, wrap the cakes in plastic wrap while they’re still slightly warm and let them cool that way. It locks in moisture and makes the cake even more tender!
How to make LUSCIOUS chocolate ganache frosting!
I have a full run down with all my tips on how to make the best ever one-bowl chocolate ganache frosting on the site. It’s actually quite an easy recipe and it comes out so smooth!
- Add all the ingredients into a heat-proof bowl and microwave them for 30 seconds at a time until melted or melt them over a double boiler.
This Chocolate Ganache can be used for so many other desserts too. It’s great on my Chocolate Cupcakes!
TIP: make the ganache the day before you decorate your cake, that way it has time to set before you layer and decorate it.
Simple way to layer and decorate this fudge cake!
- Add a dab of ganache on top of your serving plate. Spread it around evenly. It’ll help your cake stick to the serving plate.
- Add the first layer of cake and press down to stick it to the cake.
Tip – Using a cake turn table like this one to decorate the cake makes this a really easy process!
- Add a layer of luscious ganache and spread evenly
- Add the next layer of cake
Tip – Using an offset spatula helps make putting this cake together and decorating a much easier process, but if you don’t have one handy, you can literally just use a tablespoon!
- Cover in ganache and get it as smooth as you can. Although a rustic looking cake would look great too.
- Finish with swirls on top. I used a 1M tip to do this.
TIP: I use a cake turntable and an offset spatula to decorate the cake which makes decorating so much easier.
A Quick Baking Guide
If you’re new to baking or just want to brush up on the basics, these guides are a great place to start!
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One-Bowl Chocolate Fudge Cake (SO Moist!)
An easy to make one-bowl chocolate fudge cake covered in silky smooth indulgent chocolate fudge frosting.
Serves 8
Ingredients
Chocolate Fudge Cake
- 200 g dark chocolate, see notes
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 90 g vegetable oil
- 7 g vanilla extract
- 400 g caster sugar, see notes
- 3 large eggs, 55g each, room temperature
- 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 250 g all-purpose flour, plain flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarb soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 300 g boiling water
- 3/4 tsp instant coffee powder, optional
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 840 g dark cooking chocolate, see notes
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 60 g glucose syrup, see notes
- 375 g heavy cream, whipping cream
Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]
Instructions
Chocolate Ganache
- Microwave method – Add the dark chocolate, cream, butter and glucose syrup (corn syrup) into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mixing each time until completely melted and smooth.
- Double boiler method – Fill a medium sized pot 1/3 of the way with water. Bring to a boil. Place a heat-proof bowl on top and turn the heat to low. Add all the ingredients into the bowl. Gently mix until mixture is completely melted and smooth.
- To set – Directly cover the ganache with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t form a skin and set aside to set at room temperature, about 3-4 hours. It will be firm to touch but slightly soft when fully set.
- Softening the ganache (to do right before frosting) – Once the ganache has set, soften it by placing back in the microwave for 10 seconds, and mix with a spatula until it reaches a soft, spreading consistency. You can also do this by placing it on a double boiler and warming very slightly until you reach a spreadable consistency.
Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Preheat a fan forced oven to 150C / 300F (170C / 340F for no fan). Spray two 20cm / 8-inch cake tins with oil and line the bottom with baking paper. Set aside.
- Melt butter and chocolate – Add the dark chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, string each time until melted and smooth.
- Add sugar and oil – Add the oil, vanilla extract and caster sugar and mix using a spatula until combined. Add the eggs and whisk until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients – Next, run the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and salt through a sieve over the chocolate mixture. Use a spatula to mix through until no dry ingredient are showing.
- Add boiling water – To a jug, add the boiling water and instant coffee powder. Stir to combine. Add to the cake batter and mix using a whisk.
- Bake – Split the batter between the two baking tins and place in the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 40 -45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Assembly
- Tools – To more easily layer and decorate the cake, I used a cake turn table and offset spatula.
- To layer – Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/4 of the ganache on top.
- Finish decorating – Add the second layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining ganache. To finish decorating, use a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip to frost random swirls on top of the cake.
Notes
Chocolate – Using good quality cooking chocolate is important in this recipe. I used semi-sweet chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. You can find cooking chocolate in the baking aisle of your supermarket.
Instant coffee powder – I use this because it helps enhance the chocolate flavor. And no, you can’t taste the coffee! You can leave it out if you prefer.
Glucose syrup – Glucose syrup helps stabilize this ganache and lowers the chance of it splitting. It is also sometimes known as corn syrup and can be found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. You can leave it out if you wish.
Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar or bakers’ sugar is a fine sugar used for cake making. You may substitute it with granulated sugar if you wish.
Storage – This chocolate fudge cake can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezing – you can freeze the cake layers (without the ganache) for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag.
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per slice
A note on measurements – this recipe is offered in weight measurements. This is in an effort to offer the most accurate way to get the best results. Cup measurements simply aren’t accurate enough for a recipe that needs precise measurements and cup sizes differ depending on where you are in the world. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition
Calories : 1254kcal
Carbonhydrates: 107g
Protein: 14g
Fat: 88g
Saturated Fat: 48g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g
Monounsaturated Fat : 24g
Trans Fat : 1g
Cholesterol: 175mg
Sodium: 213mg
Potassium : 803mg
Fiber: 11g
Sugar : 68g
Vitamin A: 1489IU
Vitamin C: 0.3mg
Calcium: 166mg
Iron: 12mg
Nutrition Disclosure
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73 comments
Hi Nick!
Your post mentions brown sugar in the ganache frosting-“The addition of brown sugar deepens the flavor and adds a little sweetness.” I can’t find brown sugar listed anywhere in the recipe or ingredients. Just wanted to make sure I’m making it right.
Thank you!
Hey Rose! Thanks so much for catching that! You’re absolutely right, there’s no brown sugar in the ganache. That line was left over from an earlier test version of the recipe and has now been removed. The ganache only uses dark chocolate, cream, butter, and glucose syrup. Thanks again for letting me know! N x
I would like to add raspberries to this cake in some way, do you have recommendations / good ideas?
Hi Siri, I’d just fold them into the cake batter before baking. You could also make a raspberry buttercream and use that instead. Otherwise a raspberry jam could work well too. Just add it on top of the layers of cake before adding the ganache. Just make sure its a thick raspberry jam otherwise the ganache will slide around as you try to spread it! I have a thick home made raspberry jam recipe on the blog if you want to give it a go! N x
Hi Nick, unless I really missed it many times, the instructions for the cake do not include the eggs. I added them right after the oil. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Hi Ana! Glad you loved the cake. Its in step 4 🙂 N x
It’s a great cake Nick, but I wish you would put alternative measurements like cups or even mils. I had to keep looking up the conversion, which was annoying. I made it in a single large tin, and it worked fine. Thanks. Deb
Hi Deb. I am staunchly anti cup measurements. Measuring by weight is a far better, easier and more accurate way to measure. Glad you enjoyed the cake though! N x
Hello! I don’t currently have the equipment to measure the grams. Is it ok if i convert it to cups using google ? and Can i freeze this cake? Will it be ok or will it throw the cake off
Hi Lashiya! Hmm, I wouldn’t recommend it. The inversions will never be accurate enough for the recipe to come out the proper way. Although with a recipe like this you could give it a go and see how it goes. If it was something like a macaron or pavlova recipe I’d say absolutely not. Hope that helps! N x
I never leave comments on recipes but HAD to leave one for this one! This is our go to birthday cake recipe for the kids I look after and everyone dies over it! I don’t even normally like chocolate cake but love this one. It’s so moist and fudgy.
It also makes unreal cupcakes. The above recipe quantity makes 24 and we bake them for 15-18 mins … only until they’re super soft and springy on top. They freeze and defrost beautifully for school lunches as well!
Hi Hannah. Ok, so I can relate to not coming back to leave a comment on a recipe. I mean who has time? lol. Sometimes I’m in awe that people come back to leave a comment as lovely as yours. I really appreciate you taking the time to do it though! I’m actually working on a new chocolate cupcake based on this recipe. So it’s good to know you’ve used it and love it! Thanks again for making my morning! N x