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.

Ok, so there’s two main things I want you to know about this gloriously chocolate cake. The texture and flavor. Let’s get into it!

• 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!

What’s the difference between Fudge Cake and Mud Cake?

Mud cake is an ultra-dense cake that looks super smooth when sliced. Some people don’t like it’s texture because it’s well… muddy. I really love it. Fudge cake is everything you love about mud cake but fluffier. It’s moist, rich and chocolatey!

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!
• The addition of brown sugar deepens the flavor and ads a little sweetness.
• 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!

Simple Ingredients To Make this Fudge Cake!

• Dark chocolate – You want to make sure you’re using cooking chocolate for this recipe. Both in the batter and frosting. You don’t want to use regular chocolate that’s for eating.
• Unsalted butter – I used unsalted but if you use salted butter just skip adding the salt.
• Vegetable oil – alternatively you can use sunflower oil.
• Vanilla Extract – Always use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!
• Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar.
• Eggs – I used large eggs.
• Cocoa powder – You want to use unsweetened cocoa powder here as it gives the cake a deep chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour -also known as plain flour. No need for cake flour in this recipe.
• Baking powder – this helps give the cake it’s light and airy texture.
• Instant coffee powder – this helps elevate the chocolate flavor and is completely optional.
• Boiling water – the boiling water in this recipe helps elevate the chocolate flavor!

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!

• 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.

• Add a layer of luscious ganache and spread evenly
• Add the next layer of cake

• 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.

Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!

• Measure out using kitchen scales – Measuring out your ingredients by weight and not cups is the best way to get consistent results every time. I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales to measure out ingredients!
• Using a cake turn table like this one to decorate the cake makes this a really easy process!
• Spray the sides and bottom of your cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper for an easy release after baking.
• 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!
• Using room temperature ingredients is really important to getting the very best results! Leave your eggs and butter out the day before making the cake.
• When mixing the dry ingredients into the batter, take care not to overmix the batter. Mix just until there are no dry ingredients showing.
• This batter is really thin which is normal! It’ feels almost impossible that it will result in a cake but it does!

Frequently Asked Questions about Fudge Cake

What does this fudge cake taste like?

This cake isn’t shy on flavor! It has a huge hit of chocolate with every forkful. And the texture is amazing! It’s fluffy, moist and pairs perfectly with the fudgy chocolate ganache frosting!

How do I store this?

This Chocolate Fudge Cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Can I halve the recipe?

Yep! You can halve this recipe to make in just one 8” cake tin, by simply halving the ingredients listed below.

Why is there coffee in this cake?

The addition of coffee in this cake helps elevate and intensify the chocolate flavor. It’s not enough to make the cake taste like coffee. If you don’t have instant coffee powder handy, you can use 1 cup of coffee from your coffee machine or plunger.

What is this recipe in grams and not cups?

The short answer is accuracy! It is far easier, more accurate and you get more consistency results when you measure ingredients by weight, especially in dessert and bread baking! I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales!

Tried this recipe and loved it? Awesome! Drop me a comment below and tell me about it! Can’t wait to hear how it turned out for you! You can also keep up to date with me during the week by joining me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

Still got chocolate cravings? Check these recipes out!

• Fudgy Chocolate Brownies Recipe

• Really Good Chocolate Bundt Cake

• Classic Chocolate Mousse

• Chocolate Sauce Recipe

• Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies