Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake (Printable version)

Rich, squidgy chocolate cake with silky icing—perfect for celebrations or an indulgent teatime treat.

# Ingredients list:

→ For the 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 - 1.75 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 5 fl oz whole milk
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ For the 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

# Steps:

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 Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist and fudgy, not at all like those dry, crumbly cakes that need a glass of milk to get down.
  • You don't need a stand mixer or any complicated equipment, just a bowl, a whisk, and a bit of patience while the chocolate melts.
  • It looks utterly impressive when iced, like something from a bakery window, but it's secretly one of the easiest cakes you'll ever make.
02 -
  • Don't overbake this cake, a few moist crumbs on the skewer is exactly what you want for that fudgy texture.
  • Let the cakes cool completely before icing, or the icing will melt and slide right off, trust me on this one.
  • Sift the icing sugar before adding it to the melted chocolate, or you'll be battling lumps for far longer than necessary.
03 -
  • Use the best quality dark chocolate you can afford, it makes an enormous difference in both flavor and texture.
  • If the icing starts to set before you've finished spreading it, gently warm the bowl over simmering water for a few seconds to loosen it up again.
  • For perfectly even layers, use a cake leveler or a long serrated knife to trim any domed tops before icing.
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