Description
This Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake is a rich, moist dessert featuring a deeply chocolaty sponge topped with a smooth, thick chocolate ganache. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, it’s perfect for chocolate lovers seeking a decadent homemade cake.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 125g / 4 oz dark chocolate chips
- 100g / 7 tbsp salted butter (or unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt)
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar (caster or superfine sugar preferred)
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup plain / all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp coffee granules (optional)
- 1 cup boiling hot water
Ganache
- 1 cup heavy / thickened cream (30%+ fat)
- 250g / 8 oz dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 150°C / 300°F (standard) or 130°C / 265°F (fan). Grease a 22 cm (9″) springform cake pan and line it with parchment or baking paper to prevent sticking.
- Melt Butter and Chocolate: Combine butter and 125g dark chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Microwave on high for 3 intervals of 30 seconds each, stirring between intervals until fully melted and smooth.
- Add Oil, Vanilla, and Sugar: Stir in vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and sugar. Mixing at this stage helps bring down the batter temperature for the next step.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add the two eggs and beat until well combined to maintain a smooth batter.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and optional coffee granules (if using) directly into the bowl. Mix gently until smooth; the batter will be thin and may have some small lumps.
- Add Hot Water: Carefully add the boiling hot water and mix until fully incorporated. This thins the batter for a moist cake texture.
- Bake the Cake: 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. Check doneness around 50 minutes. The surface may crack, which is normal and will settle after cooling.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven, release the sides of the springform pan, and transfer the cake to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before removing the base of the pan for handling.
- Prepare Ganache: Place 250g dark chocolate chips and 1 cup heavy cream in a heatproof bowl. Microwave in 3 x 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Avoid boiling the cream.
- Thicken Ganache: Stir the ganache until smooth, then refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until it thickens to a spreadable consistency similar to peanut butter.
- Frost the Cake: Spread the ganache over the top and sides of the cooled cake using a teaspoon. Use swirling motions to create a textured finish as shown in photos for a beautiful, rustic appearance.
Notes
- Note 1: Use high-quality dark chocolate chips for best flavor and melting texture.
- Note 2: Caster or superfine sugar dissolves more easily, giving a smoother cake texture.
- Note 3: Cocoa powder adds depth to the chocolate flavor.
- Note 4: All-purpose flour is preferred; cake flour will yield a lighter texture.
- Note 5: Coffee granules are optional but enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Note 6: Use a cream with at least 30% fat for a smooth, rich ganache.
- Note 7: Cooling completely before handling prevents the cake from breaking apart.
- Note 8: Do not let the cream boil when melting chocolate to avoid splitting the ganache.
