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.
Hi Jane,
Thinking of making this but reading through the recipe, I’m confused- U mentioned coffee in the ingredients, but no mention of the 125mls of boiling water- but in the method U mention mixing the coffee with the 125ml boiling water, desolving the coffee in the water & adding to the chocolate & butter mixture, is that correct? Would it not be too much liquid – 125mls plus the 75mls of buttermilk- 200mls of liquid? Please clarify- thanks, as d cake does look lovely & would love to make it as a raffle prize for a charity effect.
No, that is correct. Water isn’t usually stated in a ingredients list as its just water and is readily available. It’s the correct amount.
Hi Jane,
Thanks for confirming. I really want to give it a go.
Debbie
Hi Jane it looks amazing. Can I use this frosting to smooth round a 6in three layer cake then do a caramel drip ? Would the frosting be firm enough? Thanks.
I would say it would be good for it, but you need to use less evaporated milk – probably half the amount of evaporated milk, but the rest stays the same!
Thank you for your quick response I’ll give it a try. Does the frosting firm up in fridge?
Yes ?
Hi could i substitute the evaporated milk for condensed milk do u think?
I wouldn’t personally.
How would this cake turn out using gluten free flour? Has anybody tried it? 🙂 x
It might be ever so slightly dryer, and it shoooould work…! I have never personally tried it though so can’t guarantee!
Hi I am looking to make this cake but with mint icing? Do you recommended just adding a teaspoon of peppermint essence into the icing? The recipient loves chocolate cake, and mint, so i am looking to combine the two and decorate with min aero bubbles.
Thanks
Charlotte
Hiya! Yes I would add mint extract in.. I would probably do 1.5tsps/2tsps though as its quite a large batch of icing! x
Ok great thank you!
I made your Caramac cake on the weekend and it was amazing. I loved the ganache on top – do you think I can put a dark chocolate ganache on top of this cake?
I’m going to make this exact sponge and icing (with mint essence) and then a ganache I think.
Thanks so much, love your recipes.
Charlotte
Yes that would work well! x
Hey Jane ?… I’ve made this recipe before and I love it!! Nicest chocolate cake ever… I’m just wondering could this be upscaled and made in a giant cupcake tin ? thanks xx
Hiya! You could try it, but I’m not sure how successfully it would come out of the tin because of its texture? And the cake batter itself is a lot thinner than a normal one. It’s worth a shot but I can’t guarantee it’ll work! ? x
Hey!! Thanks for your reply, I thought that too I might give it a trial run and see if not I’ll make a choc Madeira lol.. don’t need it to June so plenty of time to practise lol lol.. if it doesn’t then I’ll have lots of cake too eat ??
Hahaha yesss definitely! Let me know how you get on as I am intrigued! x
This is the yummiest chocolate cake I have ever had!!! I LOVE IT!!! My sister made this and I honestly ate about half the cake by myself lol! Should feel guilty but it’s too yummy to feel bad about!! lol!
Awh yaaayy! I am so glad!! x
Wow how mega indulgent! X
Lola Mia // http://www.lolitabonita.co.uk
Thank you, Lola! X
Hiya, is this cake strong enough to cover in fondant/sugarpaste? Thanks!
Hey! I’ve never tried it, but it’s very soft & moist so probably not? Sorry! x
Hi Jane,
Absolutely love your recipes and appreciate your help and inspiration.
I just wanted to ask whether I could use two 9″/23 cm cake tins for this recipe?
Thanks
Hey! You can indeed, the sponges will just be thinner and need less baking time 🙂 X
Thank you Jane 🙂
I decided to go and buy some 8″ tins too lol 🙂
I wanted to make this cake 2 days in advance so bake it on Tuesday to be cut into on Thursday.
Shall i bake the cake, decorate with frosting etc and store in the fridge?
or shall i bake the cake today (Tuesday) and make the frosting/decorate on Wednesday?
Also, should if I make the cake today, would i store it in the fridge or leave outside at room temp?
Many thanks in advance for your assistance. I really appreciate your help and advice.
I’m an amateur baker looking to bake something for red nose day 🙂
Ah yes, 8″ tins are better than 9″! I would bake the cakes on tuesday, and store them in an airtight container at room temperature, and then decorate on wednesday, and store at room temperature again. You only need to refrigerate the cakes for maybe 30 minutes before decorating, if the sponge is soft, but I made this cake today and just left it too cool and didnt need to refrigerate before decorating! 🙂 x
Made this cake today and it’s by far the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted. The cake is so moist, rich and full of flavour and the frosting is amazing. It’ll be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you 🙂
Awh that is SO amazing! I am so so glad you enjoyed it! x
I made this today as 3 layers and it came out divine. Thank you so much for you recipes x
Awh thats amazing! I am so glad! x
Is the taste of coffee strong in this cake? Im not a fan of coffee so would prefer to leave it out but would this have much of an effect on how the sponge will turn?
As mentioned in the comments before the recipe, you can’t taste the coffee at all, but it being there enhances the chocolate flavour, and you need the amount of liquid in there as well so it’s best to leave it in! X
I used this recipe for our Christmas Day pudding, and it went down a treat!! The cake is super moist and rich without being over indulgent! I made it two days ahead and it’s still going strong! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
Awh yaaayy! I’m so so glad you like it and enjoyed it! ❤
I made this cake and it sunk 🙁
It was cooked all the way through so not sure what happened x
Chances are the temperature of your oven is incorrect, if a cake sinks it’s very rarely anything to do with the recipe or ingredients. Often it means it’s over done/underdone or the oven has an issue. Quite often, ovens are not the temperature you think they are so maybe get an oven thermometer to check?
Hey Jane. Tried the recipe and it sunk both times..?. What can I do?
The cake sunk? If it’s sunk it’s underdone