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Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake
5 from 376 votes

Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake

Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake is a rich, dense chocolate dessert made with dark chocolate chips, butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and a touch of instant coffee. It results in a moist, fudgy texture enhanced by a smooth ganache frosting made from heavy cream and dark chocolate. Baking at a low temperature allows the cake to develop a deep chocolate flavor with a delicate crumb.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 12 - 16
Calories: 473 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 125g / 4 oz dark chocolate chips (Note 1)
  • 100g / 7 tbsp butter , salted (or unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt)
  • 1 1/4 cups white sugar , caster / superfine best (Note 2)
  • 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil vegetable, canola, generic cooking oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 egg at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder (Note 3)
  • 1 cup flour , plain / all purpose (Note 4)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup water boiling hot
  • 1 tbsp instant coffee optional (Note 5, granules
Ganache
  • 1 cup heavy cream 30%+ fat (Note 6, thickened cream
  • 250g / 8 oz dark chocolate chips (Note 1)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 150C/300F (standard)  or 130C/265F (fan). Grease a 22 cm / 9" springform cake pan and line with parchment / baking paper. 
  2. Melt butter and chocolate: Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave 3 x 30 seconds on high, mix in between, until melted. Mix.
  3. Oil, vanilla & Sugar: Add oil, vanilla and sugar, mix to combine (this brings down batter temp).
  4. Eggs: Add eggs and mix until combined.
  5. Dry Ingredients: Sift cocoa, baking powder and flour (and coffee, if using) directly into the bowl. Mix until smooth, batter will be thin. Some small lumps is ok.
  6. Hot water: Add hot water. Mix until incorporated.
  7. Bake: Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out moist but clean. Check at 50 minutes. The surface will crack (sometimes badly!) but sill subside when it cools and gets covered with frosting so don't stress!
  8. Cool: Remove sides from the cake pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Cool completely before carefully handling to remove base (Note 7). 
Ganache (Note 8)
  1. Place chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl. Microwave 3 x 30 seconds, mixing in between, until chocolate melts. DO NOT let cream come to boil.
  2. Stir chocolate until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until thickened to a spreadable consistency like peanut butter.
  3. Spread over the cake - tops and sides. Use a teaspoon in a swirling motion to achieve the textured surface you see in the photos.

Notes

  • Select good quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate to achieve optimal taste and texture; milk or white chocolate will not set properly.
  • Use caster sugar for best results, though regular granulated or brown sugar is acceptable.
  • Cocoa powder should be unsweetened and can be Dutch processed for deeper flavor.
  • Substitute self-raising flour for all-purpose with baking powder.
  • Instant coffee enhances chocolate notes but is optional; alternatively, replace water with coffee for stronger taste.
  • Use heavy cream with at least 30% fat for ganache to set correctly; low-fat creams will not work.
  • Cool the cake fully before removing from pan to maintain structure.
  • Ganache texture may firm in refrigerator; soften gently before spreading if necessary.
  • Follow weighing measures accurately when baking in Japan, as cup sizes vary.

Nutrition Information

Calories 473cal (24%) Carbohydrates 48g (16%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 29g (45%) Saturated Fat 18g (90%) Cholesterol 72mg (24%) Sodium 53mg (2%) Potassium 318mg (7%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 31g (62%) Vitamin A 540IU (11%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 136mg (14%) Iron 1.3mg (7%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 - 16

Amount Per Serving

Calories 473

% Daily Value*

Calories 473cal 24%
Carbohydrates 48g 16%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 29g 45%
Saturated Fat 18g 90%
Cholesterol 72mg 24%
Sodium 53mg 2%
Potassium 318mg 7%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 31g 62%
Vitamin A 540IU 11%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 136mg 14%
Iron 1.3mg 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.