Chocolate Fudge Cake with the BEST Chocolate Frosting ever!
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details!*
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!
You can find me on:
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Youtube
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.
Hi Jane ! Would I be able to use the 400g , 8 egg method for this recipe , If so would I need to double up on any of the other ingredients? X
Hi, in order to make this gluten free would you just swap the flour for a gluten free alternative or would you add something else like xanthan gum too?
Hiya, Yes i would add the kanthan gum! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane,
Could you use nutella instead of dark chocolate for this cake? Or would it not work as it is a different consistency…. I know you have a Nutella cake recipe but I wanted to put nutella in the actual batter.
Thank you:)
Hiya! No, you need to use the dark chocolate x
Hi Jane! Could this recipe be amended to make it chocolate orange or would it ruin it? The texture is amazing, not to mention the taste and the frosting is the best ever, so I want to make it for my friends birthday but she has requested chocolate orange so thought I would ask ☺️
I don’t know for definite but I’m pretty sure you could add orange essence and it would be absolutely fine!
Hi Jane! Love your recipes and your new book rules! I made this cake for my boss’ birthday in the office (when we were still there haha) and it went in double quick time! How I could amend this recipe to chocolate orange, request for a friends birthday this time and the texture and taste of this cake and frosting was just unrealistic would like to replicate if I can! Xx
Hiya, I’m so glad you all loveed it! To make this chocolate orange, you could try adding the zest of 1-2 oranges, or 1tsp of extract. Hope this helps! x
I’m going to make this for my husbands birthday tomorrow. Do I have to use real butter for the frosting? Will a vegetable alternative/Stork work as well?
Thanks!
For this frosting, you MUST use block unsalted butter as anything else is far too soft! x
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it during the week for a work colleague who was leaving. It was absolutely delicious. I baked it in 3 tins and it looked fab. Your recipes are always outstanding and this is definitely my new go-to chocolate cake recipe. Thank you so much again (also absolutely love the book, the new recipes are great)
Hiya! Aw you are so welcome I am so glad you love my recipes that makes me so happy! Enjoy the book x
Hi Jane, I see this recipe has coffee granules in the sponge. They recipient of this cake doesn’t like coffee annoyingly, so does it taste much like coffee? Or should I leave it out?? Xxx
Hiya! I personally cant taste the coffee at all, it just helps to bring out a moister and more chocolatey flavour. If you really don’t like coffee, you can use just water, but the depth of flavour might not be the same!!x
Hi Jane! I was going to try this at the weekend, and use up some condensed milk that I had left from another recipe. Can I swap the evaporated milk for the condensed milk? Thanks!
They don’t work in the same way unfortunately – double cream is the best alternative!
Hi Jane, would this work as a tray cake in a 30 x 23cm tray. Thanks 🙂
Have a look at my traybake version of the cake x
Hi Jane when I was baking the cake yesterday I totally forgot to add the cocoa powder, will it make much difference to the cake? Just wondering if I should bake another one this morning, it’s a birthday cake for someone. Many thanks
If it baked okay I would just roll with it as it saves you having to bake it again! x
Will this recipe work for cupcakes?? Xx
Have a look at my chocolate fudge cupcakes recipe on my blog! x
Hi Jane! Love your recipes! Was wondering how many eggs I will need for a 2 layer 6” tin? I know you said 2/3 of the recipe but it comes out as 2.6 when I work out the eggs so it is best to use 2 or 3? X
I would use 2 and a yolk x
Hi Jane, delicious recipe, thank you! I found mine slightly weak when stacking and it seemed to be about to break on me. I think it had sunk a little too which would tell me underbaked or overworked maybe? Still tastes unreal! I want to make it for a friends bday and am worried it may not stack well as a 3 layer. I will use chocolate ganache instead of the frosting in this particular recipe just so its a bit firmer but still nicer than regular buttercream. Do you think it will hold well in 3 layers if i bake it correctly this time? I gave it like 43 minutes or thereabouts with additional oven thermometer showing 140 but i think its slowly dying on me and needs replacing soon so could have been an oven issue.. Anyway, any advice for friends cake would be greatly appreciated, thanks
Hey, I would say bake for a little bit longer but refrigerate the sponges before decorating so that they are firmer as they are delicate x
Excellent recipe. Tastes amazing but I now need to make it gluten free. Any tips on which flour to use?
Thanks
Hiya, you can use a really good quality gluten free flour like Doves Farm but unfortunately I haven’t tested it as gluten free yet so I am not certain on it xx
Hi Jane!
Made this yesterday and it truly is amazing!! Felt like eating it all – wasn’t able to rest till it finished! Lol Thank you for the recipe- it’s now my go to recipe for choc cake!