Chocolate Fudge Cake with the BEST Chocolate Frosting ever!
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A moist chocolate fudge cake sponge, topped & filled with THE BEST chocolate frosting you will ever make!

So let me introduce to you the only chocolate fudge cake recipe that you are ever going to need. I realise saying that this contains the BEST chocolate frosting ever is quite a statement, but I honestly think it is – its so delicious! I also realised after my Facebook requests post that I hadn’t actually posted my go-to chocolate cake recipe!
This recipe is what I’d make a bruce cake out of to make a Matilda cake, it’s the cake I would use when I am craving chocolate, it’s the recipe I would use if you want something epic and indulgent – it is epic.

A classic bake
When I posted my recipe for my Victoria sponge – celebration cake I knew you all loved the classics, so I hope this suits well too! However, this cake is so much more indulgent. You can easily make a chocolate version of my Victoria sponge, but this is definitely more dense, and more chocolatey. It’s basically heaven in a bite.
This is the sort of cake that you want to have a slice, and then shove it all in your face. Yes its gooey, and has many more ingredients then you think it probably should have, but it is WORTH IT. Honestly, worth it. It also does seem a little faffy, but again.. its worth it!
Layering it up with the best frosting on the planet, and you will want to devour every single crumb. Because of how it bakes however, it can often take a long time in the oven, and even sometimes less. It’s all down to the mixing!


The cake mix
This recipe will sound like a lot of ingredients, but it’s worth it. Melt the chocolate and butter, and then mix everything into one big bowl… you don’t need a mixer for this bit.
- Chocolate – when making this, you want to use dark chocolate in the mixture for best results. I always use 70%+
- Butter – unsalted butter, or baking spread, will work for the sponges
- Coffee – this is mentioned below, but trust me…
- Flour – I use plain flour, as your raising agents come elsewhere so you don’t need self raising flour. It’ll make the sponge too delicate
- Cocoa – I like my cake super chocolatey, so I add this in as well as the chocolate
- Raising agents – baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda for this beauty of a cake
- Sugar – a mixture of brown sugar and caster sugar is wonderful – all of one, or all of the other works perfectly though
- Eggs – I use medium eggs in my baking, but 3 large would work instead of 4 medium
- Buttermilk – this is an important ingredient – you can make your own though with 1tsp of lemon juice mixed into 75ml milk


Coffee
Chocolate cake is one of those classics that you don’t want to mess with, but sometimes they can be terrible, or not chocolatey enough, or just not moist enough. I have seen over the past few months that people use coffee or instant coffee in a chocolate cake of forms to make the cake more moist and chocolatey – so I tried this!
I personally cannot taste the coffee, and neither could my family – however, If you don’t like coffee, or never buy it then no worries – you can use just water, but the depth of flavour might not be the same!! Please please PLEASE trust in using the coffee though – I really am sure that you will love it! It just makes it basically the best sponge ever!!!

The BEST EVER frosting
The magical ingredient in the chocolate frosting is the evaporated milk – I discovered this after trawling through the internet for hours on end and found a couple of mentions that it might be better – and holy smokes it was.
- Butter – for this frosting, you MUST use a block butter. You do not want to use any form of spread
- Sugar – icing sugar, as always
- Cocoa – a nice rich cocoa powder is best, I use a 100% cocoa powder
- Vanilla – a little bit of vanilla, as always again
- Evaporated milk – this is so important. Condensed milk is not a substitute, if you can’t get evaporated milk, add double cream whipped in really well, but it’s still not quite the same


Tips & tricks
I do NOT use an electric mixer for this cake recipe, because it will most likely over do it. I just do each bit by hand, and then fold it all together to get a thick fudge cake that bakes to perfection. However, a mixer is good for the frosting side of things!
It is very soft, so it can be difficult if you want to spread the cake in buttercream, so I find its easier just to make layers. If you do want to cover it, you’ll need to refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to firm it slightly first, and it’ll be easier
- This cake will last for 3-4+ days at room temp
- You can freeze this cake for 3+ months
- I use this cocoa powder
- I use this dark chocolate
- I use these cake tins for this bake


Chocolate Fudge Cake with the BEST Chocolate Frosting Ever!
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 225 g dark chocolate
- 225 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 125 ml boiling water
- 175 g plain flour
- 25 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 200 g white/golden caster sugar
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 75 ml buttermilk
Chocolate Frosting
- 250 g unsalted butter (not stork)
- 500 g icing sugar
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100-125 ml evaporated milk
Decorations
- Sprinkles
- Anything!
Instructions
For the Cake!
- Preheat the oven to 160ºc/140ºc fan and grease & line two 8″/20cm cake tins – leave to the side.
- In a heatproof bowl, microwave the dark chocolate & butter until melted
- Pour the coffee granules into the boiling water and mix – add the coffee to the chocolate/butter mix and stir well until smooth!
- In a separate large bowl add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb, sugars and mix well so the ingredients are all mixed with each other well
- Mix the eggs with the buttermilk – and then add all the ingredients together and stir
- Pour the mixture into the two tins and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes (can take a little longer in some ovens)
- Once baked leave to cool in the tin and remove afterwards
For the Frosting!
- With an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until its very smooth and supple (couple of minutes)
- Gradually add the icing sugar & cocoa powder alternatively with the evaporated milk until all is incorporated and add the vanilla essence – beat for a couple of minutes so its extra smooth & creamy.
- The more evaporated milk you add the more runny it’ll be, and I have found about 100ml-125ml is perfect for me! If it's a little hotter weather however, you may find you need less!
For the Decoration!
- Decorate your cake how you like and ENJOY! I spread half my buttercream on the first cake, add the second sponge and repeat!
- And then I sprinkle on all sorts of sprinkles!
Notes
- This cake will last for 3-4+ days at room temp
- You can freeze this cake for 3+ months
- I use this cocoa powder
- I use this dark chocolate
- I use these cake tins for this bake
ENJOY!
Find my other Cake Recipes on my Recipes Page!
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J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Can I make this cake and freeze it minus the icing?
Of course! 🙂
Hi! Looks amazing! Can I use whipping or heavy cream instead of the Evaporated Milk?
Thanks 🙂
You can but you won’t need nearly as much (and it won’t create the same flavour) but add 1tbsp at a time till you reach your desired consistency
I’ll try it! Thank you for the quick response!
Tried these as cup cakes, turned out fab, my daughter is very picky and is currently on her second of a fresh batch ?? thank you for the recipe xx
Ohh yay! That’s brilliant! 😀 x
Can I bake this ahead of time? If so, how would you suggest I store the cake layers until I decorate?
It depends how long ahead of time you want to bake it? Fresh is best really!
Hello I am thinking of making this cake for my sons birthday party but wanted to use a 11″ tin as there will be alot of people. Could you please tell me how much ingredients I will need? Thank you
Hiya I have never made one with this recipe that big so i wouldn’t know I’m afraid.. You could just try doubling it but you’d have to bake it on a really low temp for a very long time so that it bakes properly. X
Thank you so much for your help. This was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made!!!! X
Ahhh yay!! 🙂 I am so glad!! x
What depth are the tins you use for this cake?
The only ones I use for anything are deep ones 🙂
Ha ha ha – don’t try this when it’s 40 degrees in your kitchen! It tasted amazing, but the icing just melted right off! Thanks for sharing this recipe <3
Ohhh no haha definitely wouldnt work!! Refrigerate it and it’ll be fine! 🙂
Hi could I used condensed milk instead of evaporated? Thanks
Did you comment “Hi can you use condensed milk instead of evaporated milk and use less sugar? If so how much sugar would you use?” The other day? 🙂 you can use condensed milk but it is more sugary, I just wouldn’t use less powdered sugar! 🙂
Hi can you use condensed milk instead of evaporated milk and use less sugar? If so how much sugar would you use?
I wouldn’t really advise using less sugar as thats the powder that keeps the frosting thick – if you reduce it then you risk the frosting being extremely runny? However you can probably use condensed milk, but again the consistency might be different (and it’ll be more sugary!) 🙂
My My it certainly looks scrumptious, very tempted to try this recipe, have not baked in years, kids are now doing their stuff, passing it on to “MY Baker” ! Chocolate cake Lover
Hahah thank you! You definitely should bake again, you’ll wish you’d never stopped!
Hi Jane
I am making this cake for my nieces birthday but doing it in the 1 and 4 shaped tins size 14″ x 10″ 3deep how would you recommend to make this double the recipe or use the one recipe in each shape as I only have one tin of each number
Many thanks
Naeve
Hey – so I can’t remember the last time I baked into a number/letter shaped tin so I’m unsure of quantities – sorry!
I made this cake and cannot believe how moist and delicious it is. I brought some into work today and was told it was the best chocolate cake they had ever had by some of my colleagues and I have to agree with them. Thanks for this wonderful recipe,
Ohh I’m so glad!! Thank you for such lovely comments!! ❤️
I use buttermilk and coffee in my chocolate cake too.
OMG! that cake is gorgeous.
Ohh thank you so much! 🙂 x
Oh my goodness jane, another scrummy looking bake! I think it’s really interesting how you have done the frosting. I’m usually a buttercream kinda gal, and recently been experimenting with ganache. I may add this one to my list of things to try. Looks amazing! Hx
Aww thank you so much! 🙂 And same here, but I wanted to try something a little different with this one, its like a buttercream-ganache hybrid 😀 thanks! x
Ooh I think I will definitely be trying this next time I make something chocolatey 🙂 x
Awwh haha yay! Lemme know how you get on 🙂 x
Will do 🙂 x
How far in advance can I make the frosting? If I made and
kept in the fridge until needed, could I whip it up before
using to loosen it enough to spread? Or doesn’t it get that
“set”.
Thanks so much for your recipe page, cakes were always
too scientific before I discovered you 🙏
Hiya! You can make it in advance but you would need to remix it before using to fluff it up again! x
it’s killing me softly while reading this ( hahaha ). I always cannot resist chocolate cake. I wish I had a slice
Ohh same here, my weakness! 🙂 and thanks!