Description
This Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake is a rich, moist chocolate cake layered with a smooth and luscious chocolate fudge frosting. Perfect for special occasions or any time you’re craving an indulgent dessert, this recipe combines the deep flavor of cocoa and dark chocolate with the intense aroma of coffee to enhance the chocolate taste. With simple ingredients and a straightforward baking process, you’ll enjoy an impressive, bakery-quality cake at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups Flour
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- â…” cup Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 Eggs
- â…” cup Buttermilk
- 1 cup Hot coffee
Chocolate Fudge Frosting Ingredients
- 11.11 oz Unsalted butter
- 14.1 oz Dark chocolate (60%-70% cocoa)
- â…“ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 â…“ cups Heavy cream
- 1 â…“ cups Powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper to allow easy cake removal and promote even baking. Optionally, use cake strips around the pans to ensure uniform baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and sifted cocoa powder until the mixture is uniform.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix gently until they are nearly combined, ensuring no visible streaks remain, but take care not to overmix to avoid a dense texture.
- Add Coffee: Pour the hot coffee into the batter and stir gently until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Expect the batter to be quite runny and fluid.
- Bake the Cakes: Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans, ideally weighing the batter for balance. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating the cakes are cooked through.
- Cool the Cakes: Let the cakes cool in their pans completely before removing them. Then transfer to wire racks to cool fully, which prevents the frosting from melting and avoids cake breakage during assembly.
- Make the Chocolate Fudge Frosting: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the unsalted butter, heavy cream, dark chocolate, sifted cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and kosher salt. Stir constantly, melting the ingredients until smooth and homogeneous without overheating, which can cause a grainy texture.
- Strain and Chill Frosting: Strain the warm frosting through a fine mesh into a bowl or container to remove any lumps. Cover the surface with plastic wrap pressed directly on the frosting to prevent skin formation. Allow it to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until it thickens enough to spread easily.
- Assemble the Cake: Remove the frosting from the refrigerator. Place a dollop of frosting on your cake stand or serving plate to secure the cake. Position one cake layer on top and spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over it.
- Top with Second Layer and Frost: Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted first layer. Use the remaining frosting to cover the entire cake. Using an offset spatula, create a decorative wave texture if desired, ensuring full coverage and a smooth finish.
Notes
- Using hot coffee in the batter intensifies the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the wet ingredients to keep the cake tender.
- Make sure cakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- Straining the frosting ensures a silky smooth texture by removing lumps.
- Cover frosting with plastic wrap touching the surface to avoid a skin forming.
- For best flavor, allow assembled cake to rest for a few hours before serving.
- This cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, covered tightly.
