This indulgent cake combines chocolate and vanilla flavors in an incredibly moist, easy-to-make chocolate fudge cake recipe that tastes like it’s from a bakery!
This is the cake to have when chocolate cravings strike, which to be honest is every day at around 2pm for me! LOL
While an easy chocolate ganache frosting would do, I chose to make this chocolate fudge frosting to complement the chocolate fudgy cake. This cake is rich, moist, and oh-so fudgy!
Let's get to the recipe
Ingredients
For this simple cake recipe you will need:
- Sugar. This recipe calls for both granulated sugar and light brown sugar. In my normal chocolate cake recipe, I use just white granulated sugar but I wanted to add some more moisture and chew for this fudgy chocolate cake so I used some brown sugar.
- Large Eggs. Your eggs should be at room temperature so they can evenly incorporate into the rest of the ingredients. You can get your eggs to room temperature quickly by placing them in a bowl of warm water.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. The vanilla helps create that chocolate fudge flavor.
- Vegetable Oil. The oil helps create an incredibly moist, tender cake.
- Sour Cream. This moisture bomb creates a soft, moist cake.
- All-Purpose/ Plain Flour. The flour needs to be measured properly to ensure you don't add too much or too little. I suggest using a scale.
- Dutch Process Cocoa Powder. Dutch process cocoa powder has a smooth, rich, intense chocolate flavor. Don't substitute natural cocoa powder.
- Baking Soda. The baking soda needs to be activated by an acid, in this case the brown sugar and sour cream play that part.
- Salt. The salt enhances the flavor profiles of every other ingredient.
- Baking Powder. The baking powder is already activated and will help the cake rising in the oven.
- Hot Coffee. I just use a tablespoon of instant coffee and add hot water to it.
You could stir in ½ a cup of mini chocolate chips for another chocolate punch!
The frosting needs melted chocolate, butter, confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, salt, light corn syrup and vanilla extract. This is the same recipe from my chocolate frosting recipe you could also try my chocolate buttercream recipe but it is not as fudgy.
For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9-inch cake pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, oil, and sour cream mix until fully combined.
You could make this cake in an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment but a bowl and a whisk will do just fine.
Now for the dry ingredients, place a fine mesh sieve on top of the wet ingredients and sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Mix to just combine.
Add in the hot coffee and mix until evenly combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is combined. The cake batter will be very thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean/ only moist crumbs, no wet batter. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
While cake is cooling prepare chocolate frosting. Wait to frost the cake until it is fully cooled.
Make the chocolate frosting, I have a whole post dedicated on how to make the chocolate frosting.
Spread on top of the cooled cake. Use the back of a spoon to create a swirly design. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you live in a warm environment store the cake in the refrigerator but let it sit at room temperature for the ideal serving temperature.
There you go a delicious chocolate fudge cake. I love to warm up a leftover slice and serve it with ice cream.
FAQ and Tips for Success
Let the chocolate cake cool completely. Once cooled wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap the cake in a second layer. Two layers of plastic wrap help prevent any freezer burn. You can freeze the frosted cake as well, let it freeze for an hour first then wrap it in plastic wrap.
Take the cake out of the freezer and place on the counter at room temperature for a couple of hours. The cake will thaw a lot quicker than you think.
If you think you've accidentally overcooked your cake you could make a quick cake simple syrup to brush on and ensure the cake is moist. Simply add ¼ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of water and cook in a saucepan for 7-9 minutes over low-medium heat. Then let the simple syrup cool for 10 minutes before using a pastry brush to brush the syrup all over the top of the cake.
- Use room temperature ingredients
- Don't over mix the cake batter
More cake recipes
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
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PrintChocolate Fudge Cake
This indulgent cake combines chocolate and vanilla flavors in an incredibly moist, easy-to-make chocolate fudge cake recipe that tastes like it’s from a bakery!
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9-12 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 100 grams (½ Cup) Granulated Sugar/ Caster Sugar
- 100 grams (½ Cup) Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
- 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3oz (¼ Cup +2 Tablespoons) Vegetable Oil
- 4oz (½ Cup) Sour Cream
- 125 grams (1 Cup) All-Purpose/ Plain Flour
- 45 grams (⅓ Cup) Dutch Process Cocoa Powder ( I use Bensdorp Dutch Cocoa Powder)
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 4oz (½ Cup) Hot Coffee*
Frosting
- 4oz Good Quality Chocolate (dark chocolate or milk chocolate)
- 5oz (10 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 60 grams (½ Cup) Confectioners Sugar/ Powdered Sugar
- 45 grams (⅓ Cup) Dutch-process Cocoa Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 3oz (¼ Cup +2 Tablespoons) Light Corn Syrup
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Moist Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9-inch pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, oil, and sour cream mix until fully combined. Place a fine mesh sieve on top of the wet ingredients and sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Mix to just combine.
- Add in the hot coffee and mix until evenly combined. The cake batter will be very thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean/ only moist crumbs, no wet batter. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling prepare chocolate frosting. Wait to frost the cake until it is fully cooled.
Assembly
- Melt the chocolate first, by using a Bain Marie** or in a microwave at 50% power in 15-second increments. Be careful not to burn the chocolate, once 75% of the chocolate is melted I take it off of the heat and mix it to fully melt everything. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before starting on the rest of the recipe.
- In a large food processor add the butter, confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, and salt then pulse a few times, until everything is combined.
- Add in the corn syrup and vanilla and pulse to combine again. Scrape down the bowl and add in the melted chocolate, mix for another 30 seconds- a minute to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Spread on top of the cooled cake. Use the back of a spoon to create a swirly design. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you live in a warm environment store the cake in the refrigerator but let it sit at room temperature for the ideal serving temperature.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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Sabina says
The Cake is super fluffy and chocolatey. It was easy to make and came out great. The frosting was also good. It was super fudgy (which made it a little hard to cut the cake) I think next time I'll try to add a little heavy cream. Definitely going to make this cake again.