Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake (Printable)

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

# What You 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 tsp baking powder
07 - ¼ tsp fine sea salt
08 - 1.75 oz cocoa powder
09 - 5 fl oz whole milk
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ For the Chocolate Icing

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake tins with baking paper.
02 - In a heatproof bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until 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 in the melted chocolate 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 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 icing sugar and milk until the icing is smooth and glossy.
12 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread with one-third of the icing. Top with the second cake and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing. Smooth with a palette knife.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist and fudgy, more like a brownie dressed up as a layer cake than anything dry or crumbly.
  • It comes together without fuss, no creaming butter for ten minutes or worrying about temperamental meringues.
  • The icing sets just enough to slice cleanly but stays soft and luscious on the tongue.
  • It tastes even better the next day, which means you can bake ahead and actually enjoy your own party.
02 -
  • Don't open the oven door in the first 25 minutes, the sudden temperature drop can make the cakes sink in the middle.
  • If your icing feels too stiff, add a tiny splash more milk, if it's too runny, beat in a little extra icing sugar until it holds its shape.
  • Let the icing sit for five minutes before spreading, it thickens slightly as it cools and becomes easier to work with.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients rather than using cups, baking is chemistry and precision makes the difference between squidgy and stodgy.
  • If the tops of your cakes dome too much, trim them level with a serrated knife before icing so the layers stack neatly.
  • Chill the iced cake for 15 minutes before slicing, it helps the icing firm up just enough to cut clean slices without squashing the layers.
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