Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake (Printable)

Rich, squidgy chocolate cake with silky icing—perfect for celebrations or indulgent teatime treats.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Cake

01 - 7 oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
02 - 7 oz dark chocolate (minimum 50% cocoa solids), chopped
03 - 8.8 oz light brown sugar
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 7 oz all-purpose flour
06 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
07 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
08 - 1.75 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 5 fl oz whole milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Chocolate Icing

11 - 5.3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
12 - 3.5 oz unsalted butter
13 - 7 oz powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 3 tablespoons whole milk

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake tins with parchment paper.
02 - In a heatproof bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until completely smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale and thick.
04 - Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, followed by the vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
06 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with the milk, until just combined and smooth.
07 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
09 - Cool the cakes in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Remove from heat.
11 - Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and milk until the icing is smooth and glossy.
12 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with one-third of the icing. Top with the second cake layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing. Smooth with a palette knife.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist without being underbaked, like fudge and cake had a very happy meeting.
  • It uses everyday ingredients but tastes like you've been training at a French patisserie.
  • The icing sets into this glossy, professional-looking finish that makes people assume you know what you're doing.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these layers or they'll lose that fudgy centre, a few moist crumbs on the skewer is exactly what you want.
  • Let the cakes cool completely before icing or the chocolate will melt and slide right off, I learned this the messy way.
  • Sift the icing sugar or you'll have gritty lumps that ruin the silky finish.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients properly, baking is chemistry and guessing leads to sad, flat cakes.
  • If the icing feels too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it's spreadable, if it's too thin, beat in more icing sugar.
  • Run your palette knife under hot water and dry it before smoothing the icing for a really professional finish.
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