Make this rich, moist, and easy Chocolate Fudge Cake layered with homemade chocolate buttercream in under 1 hour!
I don’t abide by the rule of only baking a cake on special occasions, although this is the only requested birthday cake in my house. When the mood strikes for a quick and easy chocolate cake for dessert on any given night, this chocolate fudge cake or my oreo cookie poke cake are my staples. My entire family loves a good chocolate cake, so I get no arguments, especially with a scoop of ice cream on the side!
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
This amazing chocolate fudge cake is truly one of my favorites. It’s moist, it’s melt in your mouth, and when frosted with chocolate buttercream or any other chocolate frosting, it transforms into the ultimate chocolaty bite. The best part is, aside from the absolute deliciousness of it all, is that it is so darn easy to make.
There’s something about a strictly chocolate cake that feels so decadent, a little rebellious, and dare I say a little sexy! As much as I could have a slice of it any night of the week, it really is perfect for special occasions. It’s made with your classic cake ingredients, but for a chocolate cake from scratch, you want to use good quality chocolate. It really makes the difference between a homemade cake and just your ordinary store-bought cake. There is sour cream in this recipe which helps to create a rich, moist texture that rivals any professionally made cake!
Why We Love This Recipe
- A quick and easy recipe for something that looks like it took you all day.
- Chocolate upon chocolate is a chocolate lover’s dream.
- Simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
- Decadent without being fussy.
- Can be decorated with frosting, sprinkles, fresh fruit, or enjoyed plain.
- A great beginner’s recipe for those new to baking cakes from scratch.
Ingredients/shopping list
- Unsweetened chocolate – Pick out good quality chocolate bars. I like to use Ghiradelli. If you would rather use unsweetened cocoa powder, you can.
- Dry ingredients – All-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, brown sugar.
- Wet ingredients – Butter, eggs, vanilla, boiling water.
- Sour cream – The fat from the sour cream helps to create a moist, rich, and tender cake texture.
How to Make this Recipe
Who says a cake is only for special occasions? Make this cake any night of the week in just a few simple steps!
Step 1: Combine flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft and fluffy. (You can also use a separate bowl with an electric mixer.)
Add brown sugar, and eggs to the butter and beat on high for 5 minutes. Then, beat in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate.
Step 3: Add in the dry ingredients alternating with a spoonful at a time of the sour cream, beating on low. Then, add boiling hot water and stir to completely combine until smooth and thin.
Step 4: Pour into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Once the cake is cooled completely, frost with this easy homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.
Variations/Substitutions
Version 1: For a gluten-free version swap all-purpose for Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Version 2: Some people like to add hot espresso instead of water to get a mocha flavor to their cake.
3. Add a cup of quality semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter making it a double chocolate fudge cake in seconds!
Tips
- To line pans with parchment paper, place the pan on parchment paper and with a pencil, draw a line around the pan, and then cut out with scissors.
- Pour the one cup of boiling water into the same measuring cup/bowl that you melted the chocolate in and stir to get all the remaining chocolate out.
- Bake in a bundt pan if preferred.
- Weigh your flour for precision to ensure the cake doesn’t turn out too dense
FAQ’s
Freshly baked cake can last the first day at room temperature, covered on the counter. After that, it’s best to keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
The fat in the sour cream is what helps to create moisture and richness. A little tang to counterbalance the sweet is also part of its magic.
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Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ingredients
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- 2 ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Melt chocolate in a microwave safe measuring cup or other glass dish at 20-30 intervals. Stop intervals once chocolate is almost melted and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool for at least 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F and grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
- Beat butter until soft.
- Add brown sugar and eggs and beat with an electric mixer at a high speed for 5 minutes.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate.
- Alternate adding in dry ingredients with spoonful of the cup of sour cream, beating continually on low speed or stirring with a spoon.
- Then stir in boiling water and stir to blended in completely and smooth. (Batter will be thin)
- Pour evenly into the two greased pans.
- Bake for 40 minutes (8 inch pans) or 35 minutes (9 inch pans) or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove and and turn onto wire racks to cool completely.
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