Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake (Printable)

Super-squidgy, rich chocolate cake with silky-smooth icing—perfect for celebrations or teatime treats.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 7 oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
02 - 7 oz dark chocolate (minimum 50% cocoa solids), chopped
03 - 8.8 oz light brown sugar
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 7 oz all-purpose flour
06 - 1½ tsp baking powder
07 - ¼ tsp fine sea salt
08 - 1.8 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 5 fl oz whole milk
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Chocolate Icing

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake tins with baking 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 tins.
08 - Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
09 - Cool the cakes in the tins 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.
11 - Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and milk until the icing is smooth and glossy.
12 - 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 texture stays incredibly moist for days, which means you can bake it ahead without any dryness creeping in.
  • It uses straightforward ingredients you probably already have, so there's no hunting for specialty items.
  • The icing sets into a glossy, smooth finish that looks bakery-perfect even if you're new to decorating.
02 -
  • Always cool the melted chocolate mixture before adding it to the eggs, or the heat will cook them into sweet scrambled eggs.
  • Don't skip sifting the icing sugar because even tiny lumps will show up in the finished icing and ruin the smoothness.
  • Check your baking powder's expiration date because stale powder won't give you the rise you need.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients instead of using cups because precision makes all the difference in baking, especially with flour and sugar.
  • Use a cake strip around your tins to prevent doming and ensure flat, even layers that stack beautifully.
  • Let the icing sit for a few minutes after mixing so any air bubbles rise to the surface, then give it a final stir before spreading.
Return