Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake (Printable Version)

Rich, squidgy chocolate cake with smooth icing—perfect for celebrations or teatime indulgence.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Cake

01 - 7 ounces unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
02 - 7 ounces dark chocolate (minimum 50% cocoa solids), chopped
03 - 8.8 ounces light brown sugar
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 7 ounces all-purpose flour
06 - 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
08 - 1.75 ounces cocoa powder
09 - 5 fluid ounces whole milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Chocolate Icing

11 - 5.3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
12 - 3.5 ounces unsalted butter
13 - 7 ounces powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 3 tablespoons whole milk

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a heatproof bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale and thick.
04 - Stir in the melted chocolate mixture, followed by the vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
06 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with the milk, until just combined and smooth.
07 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
09 - Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Remove from heat and gradually beat in the powdered sugar and milk until the icing is smooth and glossy.
11 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread with a third of the icing. Top with the second cake and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing. Smooth with a palette knife.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake stays moist and tender for days, so you can bake it ahead without stress.
  • It's rich enough to feel like a proper celebration, but simple enough that even a kitchen beginner can nail it.
  • That silky chocolate icing is honestly better than any ganache you could buy at a bakery.
02 -
  • Don't melt chocolate above 50°C or it will seize into a grainy mess that won't recover, so always use gentle heat and patience.
  • Fold, don't stir—stirring knocks the air out of your batter and you end up with a dense, heavy cake instead of the tender crumb you're after.
03 -
  • If your icing is too thick to spread smoothly, warm the palette knife under hot water and smooth it over the cake—the warmth melts the icing just enough to cooperate.
  • Chilling the frosted cake for 20 minutes before serving helps the icing set and makes slicing cleaner without squishing the layers.
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