For chocolate lovers, nothing beats a big slice of decadent cake piled high with frosting. Whether you’re making the ultimate birthday cake with loads of sprinkles, dripping ganache and piped rosettes or you just need a humble cake to appease a craving, chocolate fudge cake always does the trick.
This recipe starts by creaming butter and brown sugar. Then, you’ll add melted chocolate to the mixture before folding in the dry ingredients and sour cream (yep, that’s right!). Once it’s baked and cooled, you can decorate the layered cake like a pro. Get a spatula and piping bag ready—you’re going to want to go crazy with this fudgy chocolate frosting.
Ingredients for Chocolate Fudge Cake
Butter: Butter serves as the base for the cake batter and the frosting, playing a role in flavor and structure. For best results, use butter softened to room temperature.
Brown sugar: This recipe relies on brown sugar for its deep molasses flavor and a touch of sweetness.
Eggs: Three large eggs are added to the cake batter to provide moisture and help to make the cake rise.
Vanilla extract: A small amount of vanilla extract goes a long way in enhancing the flavor of the chocolate in this cake recipe.
Unsweetened chocolate: While there are many types of baking chocolate, this particular recipe makes good use of unsweetened chocolate in both the cake batter and the frosting. This allows for a deeper chocolate flavor, along with better control over sweetness.
Cake flour: Cake flour is used to create a fine, tender crumb in homemade cakes. It has less protein in it, creating a softer texture. For best results, sift the cake flour before adding it to the batter.
Baking soda and baking powder: Baking soda and baking powder are both leavening agents. They react with other ingredients in the batter to help the cake rise while baking.
Salt: Just a touch of salt helps to cut the sweetness in the batter for the ideal flavor balance.
Sour cream: Adding sour cream to a cake batter is a clever trick to make the cake that much more moist. If you don’t have sour cream, you could also use Greek yogurt or bake with mayonnaise.
Water: Water is the liquid in this cake batter, providing moisture for proper texture.
Confectioners’ sugar: The powdery consistency of confectioners’ sugar creates a fluffy, smooth frosting and also sweetens the mixture.
Whole milk: The milk thins the frosting, allowing for easier spreadability.
Directions
Step 1: Prep the pans
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two greased 9-inch round baking pans with parchment and grease the paper.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar and add dry ingredients
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and cooled, melted chocolate.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with sour cream and water, beating well after each addition.
Step 3: Bake
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pans. Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
Step 4: Make the frosting
In a small heavy saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the chocolate mixture, beating until light and fluffy.
Step 5: Assemble and serve
Place one cake layer on a cake plate or cake stand. Spread frosting over the layer and top with the other cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake.
Chocolate Fudge Cake Variations
Top with chocolate ganache: This cake is topped with a smooth, creamy chocolate fudge frosting. If you’d like another option, consider ganache. Chocolate ganache is thicker for a more decadent choice, making it ideal for pairing with many chocolate dessert recipes.
Add chocolate chips: Need even more chocolate? Consider adding chocolate chips to the finished cake batter before baking, or use them to dress up the exterior of the frosted cake.
Top with peanut butter frosting: Love a chocolate and peanut butter combo? Skip the fudge frosting and make homemade peanut butter frosting instead.
How to Store Chocolate Fudge Cake
To keep leftover slices as fresh as possible, store this fudge chocolate cake either under a cake dome, in an airtight container or wrap slices in plastic wrap. Learn more about properly storing cake.
How long does chocolate fudge cake last?
Wrapped and stored properly, chocolate fudge cake can last up to two days at room temperature or up to four days in the refrigerator. This cake can also be frozen and kept in the freezer for up to two months—just be sure to store it in an airtight container or wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap. Double layers help prevent freezer burn.
Can you make chocolate fudge cake ahead of time?
Need to prep dessert ahead for a special occasion? It’s possible! Bake the cakes ahead of time, let them cool and wrap them individually in two layers of plastic wrap. Store the cakes in the freezer up to two months before thawing and assembling. That way, you can make the frosting the day of. The whole frosted cake could also be baked and prepped one day ahead of serving.
Chocolate Fudge Cake Tips
How do you keep chocolate fudge cake moist?
The addition of sour cream brings moisture to this cake. For best results in keeping the cake moist, mix in ingredients until just combined so you avoid overmixing the batter. Find other cake baking tips here.
What should you do if your frosting freezes up?
The longer the frosting sets in the bowl after preparing, the harder it will get. It’s best to prepare and cool the cakes ahead of making the frosting so the cake can immediately be frosted. If it does freeze up, beat the frosting on medium speed again to make it spreadable.
Can this chocolate fudge cake recipe be made into cupcakes?
Prefer a single-serve dessert with no fork required? This cake batter can absolutely be used to bake cupcakes. Divide the batter in a cupcake pan lined with paper liners, filling each halfway full. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool, then frost.
Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Prep Time
50 min
Cook Time
25 min
Yield
12 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened2-1/4 cups packed brown sugar3 large eggs1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly2-1/4 cups cake flour1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 cup sour cream1 cup waterFROSTING:1/2 cup butter, cubed4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped3-3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar1/2 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and cooled chocolate. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream and water, beating well after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely. For frosting, in a small heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. In a large bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add chocolate mixture, beating until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.
Nutrition Facts
1 slice: 678 calories, 29g fat (18g saturated fat), 107mg cholesterol, 377mg sodium, 104g carbohydrate (77g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
This recipe won several blue ribbons at our state fair. The made-from-scratch chocolate layer cake topped with a fudgy homemade frosting is truly a can’t-miss dessert. —Donna Carman, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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