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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

Chocolate Fudge Cake with the BEST Chocolate Frosting Ever!

A moist chocolate fudge cake sponge, topped & filled with THE BEST chocolate frosting you will ever make!
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Category: Cake
Type: Chocolate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Cooling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 14 Slices
Author: Jane's Patisserie

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

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.

607 Comments

  1. Cesca Tray on July 30, 2020 at 8:53 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Used this for my dads birthday cake and now my boyfriend has requested it for his but he’d like a drip cake – is this sponge too delicate for a tall drip cake? I’d be using a 6 inch cake tin which is 3 inch deep. Also, do you think I’d need to make a bigger mixture to fill this depth of tin? Thank you in advance!

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 31, 2020 at 9:37 am

      Hey! So it definitely is a delicate sponge, but you can decorate more easily it if it’s chilled – the buttercream frosting is too soft though and would be best without the evaporated milk! It probably is enough mix for 6″ however as typically you’d reduce mixture to fit a 6″ x



  2. Abby Maguire on July 28, 2020 at 10:30 am

    Hi, I’d like to use the frosting un this recipe as filling and cover for a 3 layer cake. How much would you recommend adding to the ingredients for it to be enough to cover and use as the filler between sponges?

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 28, 2020 at 3:51 pm

      So I would at least double it – the only thing I would say is that it’s quite soft so doesn’t always hold up very well on the sides, especially on a hot day! x



  3. Jojo on July 25, 2020 at 9:28 pm

    Hi there!
    Just wondering if after melting the chocolate mixture,I should let it cool before adding the other ingredients.

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 26, 2020 at 8:29 am

      Hey – you melt the chocolate and butter together, add the coffee mixture whilst it’s hot, and then let it naturally cool slightly whilst you do the next few steps.



  4. Ashton Jarratt on July 22, 2020 at 3:24 pm

    Hi Jane!

    I’m looking at making this cake at the weekend and cover it in buttercream and stick flakes all around the outside, will this cake hold the flakes? Also my tin is only 2 and a half inches deep is this ok?

    Thank you xx

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 22, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      Yes it will definitely hold the flakes (have a look at my easter chocolate cake, I use matchmakers) – and you need two tins, but that depth should be okay!



  5. Mica on July 20, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    I’m making this for my mum’s birthday this weekend and I was wondering if I could use dark soft brown sugar instead? I can’t seem to get any n my food shop! x

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 20, 2020 at 7:13 pm

      Hey! Yes you can, or you can use all caster!



  6. Chris on July 19, 2020 at 11:50 pm

    I really do like this recipe – it has been my go to chocolate fudge cake recipe for a while now. But I always am slightly unhappy with his it turns out aesthetically. When cooking, the cake always shrinks and dips a lot in the middle. I’m not a novice baker – I know I’m not over mixing it. I also know it’s not baked for too long as the centre is still sometimes ‘jiggly’ lol. When I take it out of the oven it never springs back when I touch it, but it is fully cooked. Such a shame as the cake is delicious!

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 20, 2020 at 2:13 pm

      This sort of cake won’t do the spring back – and if the cake is still jiggly, it’s 100% not baked for long enough. Dipping means it’s not baked for long enough either, and you can also be opening your oven too early, and for too long when checking it.



  7. Sel on July 18, 2020 at 9:38 am

    5 stars
    Hey Jane, omg this cake was amazing!!! I fought my husband for the last slice mwahaha!

    Sorry if this has been asked before but what do you use to decorate the cake/ where do you get your sprinkles? I wasn’t sure if the big ball sprinkles were Malteasers??

    Thanks for all your delicious recipes 😋

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 18, 2020 at 12:58 pm

      Hey! Hahaha amazing! And they are large chocoball sprinkles that aren’t sold anymore – I can’t find them anywhere! x



  8. Riya on July 15, 2020 at 10:24 pm

    5 stars
    Literally the most amazing chocolate cake I’ve ever made… I bake regularly and have tried so many recipes and this one is heaven sent!! 🤤🤤 100% recommend! Trust the recipe!!!

  9. Shana on July 13, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    Absolutely love this cake Jane, it’s so delicious!!

    If I wanted to make this gluten free would I be ok to just substitute the plain flour with GF plain flour or will I need to make any other changes?

    Thanks! x

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 13, 2020 at 7:55 pm

      The risk is that the texture of the cake is already quite delicate, so it may make it even more so – so I would suggest using xantham gum (and obviously checking all other ingredients are gluten free) and then also refrigerating before decorating so they can firm up slightly!



    • Paula Curley on July 15, 2020 at 10:36 pm

      Hi Jane would chocolate ganache sit ok on this cake? I have to decorate around the outside with sweets. Wondering as it’s a delicate cake, will it hold thick ganache and sweets? Thanks



    • Jane's Patisserie on July 16, 2020 at 10:18 am

      Hey! So the sponge is quite delicate, and to cover in ganache you’d want to refrigerate the sponges for a while first to firm them up, but after that it would be fine! X



  10. Wendy on July 12, 2020 at 10:29 am

    Good morning 🙂
    This sounds yummy, I’ll be attempting to make it today. After it’s cooked do you let it cool slightly and then put into the fridge for 30mins-1hr? Also, once it’s all finished is it best kept in the fridge?
    Many thanks
    Wendy

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 12, 2020 at 7:17 pm

      It’s sometimes best to put the cake in the fridge for decoration – but it’s not essential. And no, I would keep it at room temp!



  11. Terri Roberts on July 8, 2020 at 9:06 am

    I made this at the weekend and it was lovely. I’ve now been asked to make the same sponge but as a mocha cake – how much extra coffee would you add to ensure it tasted of mocha rather than just chocolate? is there anything else you would change to make it a mocha cake?

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 8, 2020 at 6:31 pm

      I would probably double the coffee, or even triple the coffee? Try and dissolve in the same quantity of water however, and then everything else will be the same!



    • Jane on April 8, 2022 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Jane,
      I’m a bit confused!!! It says 35-40 mins for 2 tins but 22-25 mins for 3 Tin’s??!!!



    • Jane's Patisserie on April 12, 2022 at 8:52 am

      Hiya! This is because the amount of cake in each tin – same amount split into 3 tins will equal less baking time! Hope this helps! x



  12. Sarah on July 6, 2020 at 8:46 pm

    I want to make this for my son as he loves chocolate! What decorations did you use? I’m having difficulty finding suitable sweets. Thanks

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 6, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      They are just really large sprinkles mixed with regular sized ones – you can use anything you like!!



  13. Mandy Barker on July 3, 2020 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    Made this cake today and it’s the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made and definitely my go to chocolate cake from now on. The recipe is brilliant and I followed it to the letter and it worked perfectly! Thanks for such a great recipe and brilliant tips – I put the cakes in the fridge for 30-40 mins and it iced perfectly 🙂

  14. Mandy Barker on July 3, 2020 at 5:07 pm

    5 stars
    Made this today and it’s amazing and definitely the best ever chocolate cake I’ve ever made! It’s my go to recipe from now on. I followed the recipe exactly and it worked perfectly. I put the cakes in the fridge for a good half an hour and it iced perfectly! Thanks Jane! Brilliant recipe 🙂

    • Paula Curley on July 6, 2020 at 11:34 am

      Hi Jane, I am making this cake next week but with 3 decent tiers, as you suggested in a post here I will add on another half to the recipe and bake in 3 x 20cm round tins. Will the cooking time be same as original method or longer baking time? Also does it have to be golden caster sugar? Thanks. I’m making this and decorating it into a lego climbing wall thanks



    • Jane's Patisserie on July 6, 2020 at 11:57 am

      Hey! Yes if you split it between three tins, the amount of mix in each tin should still be the same so baking time should be the same! You can use white caster sugar, or all light brown or something similar! To decorate it to that detail I would suggest refrigerating the cakes so they are a lot more solid and easier to use as the sponge is quite soft xx



  15. Laura Morrissey on July 3, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Jane! Made this and it was so delicious!! Just wondering if I could use this recipe and bake it in loaf tins? If so how would you go about it? Thanks so much!

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