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Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake: The Ultimate Recipe

A rich and moist chocolate fudge cake recipe, topped with a luscious chocolate ganache, perfect for special occasions or a decadent treat.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 125 g dark chocolate chips Use good quality dark chocolate.
  • 100 g butter Salted, or unsalted + 1/4 tsp salt.
  • 1 1/4 cups white sugar Caster / superfine best.
  • 1/4 cup oil Vegetable or canola oil.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs At room temperature.
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder Good quality cocoa powder enhances flavor.
  • 1 cup flour Plain / all-purpose flour.
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup boiling hot water
  • 1 tbsp coffee granules Optional, enhances chocolate flavor.
Ganache
  • 1 cup heavy / thickened cream 30%+ fat.
  • 250 g dark chocolate chips Use good quality dark chocolate.

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Springform cake pan (22 cm / 9″)
  • Parchment / baking paper
  • Heatproof bowl
  • Microwave
  • Sifter
  • Cooling rack
  • Skewer
  • Spoon

Method
 

Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 150C/300F (standard) or 130C/265F (fan); grease and line a 22 cm / 9″ springform cake pan.
  2. Melt butter and 125g chocolate in a heatproof bowl by microwaving in 30-second intervals, mixing until smooth.
  3. Add oil, vanilla, and sugar to the chocolate mixture, then mix to combine, which also helps cool the batter.
  4. Incorporate the eggs, mixing until just combined.
  5. Sift cocoa, baking powder, flour, and optional coffee directly into the bowl, then mix until the batter is smooth with minimal lumps.
  6. Stir in the hot water until fully incorporated.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out moist but clean.
  8. Cool the cake completely on a cooling rack before carefully removing it from the pan base.
Ganache
  1. Combine 250g chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl, microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth, ensuring the cream does not boil.
  2. Stir the ganache until smooth, then refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until it thickens to a spreadable consistency.
  3. Spread the thickened ganache over the top and sides of the cooled cake, using a teaspoon for a textured surface.

Notes

The surface of the cake may crack during baking, but this will subside upon cooling and be covered by frosting. For ingredients, use good quality dark chocolate for both cake and ganache, caster/superfine white sugar for best texture, and quality cocoa powder to enhance flavor. Coffee granules are optional but recommended to boost chocolate notes. Heavy/thickened cream for ganache should have 30%+ fat. Ensure the cake cools completely before handling to remove the base. The ganache process requires careful melting and chilling to achieve the right consistency.