Best Fudgy Chocolate Cake

The most amazing, ONE BOWL, Fudgy Chocolate Cake is so rich and decadent, with the perfect balance of fluffy and fudgy!

Finished with an amazing ganache, this Best Fudgy Chocolate Cake is coming at you in true chocolate form!

Chocolate Cake

A good chocolate cake recipe is so hard to come by, just like a good brownie recipe. There are always high hopes and promises of what you’re looking for, but the delivery can be opposite and sometimes less than what you’re craving.

While I’ve tried so many chocolate cakes over the years, and failed following so many different recipes, it was time to take matters into my own hands and come up with the best chocolate cake we’ve ever had. That’s a HUGE call to make, I know. As a result…this one takes the cake.

Chocolate Cake RECIPE

Just the same as these Best Fudgy Cocoa Brownies, I wanted FUDGY, but being a cake, I wanted FLUFFY — and MOST OF ALL I wanted uncomplicated steps. No melted butter combined with an abundance of chocolate; melted on the stove in a pot, then a dry mix combined in one bowl and a wet mix combined in another bowl, and a headache plus 2 pain killers and a bottle of vino later…..a cake is born.

This one is different. One bowl. No beaters or kitchen aids and zero sifters or pans. Just a humble bowl and a wooden spoon. No pain killers or wine needed.

This fudgy chocolate cake took many MANY batches to perfect the right balance of flour, oil, cocoa powder and baking powder.

Finally I did it. Look at THAT! ⬇ SUPER fudgy and MOIST! We almost loved this fudgy chocolate cake as much as (or the same as) those brownies. I said, almost.

GANACHE

The most perfect ganache using ONLY a small saucepan to make it. No separate bowls or metal bowls, or whatever. So uncomplicated, you won’t believe it until you try it. It’s a matter of heating cream > adding in the chocolate chips > waiting for it to melt > stir > done. Even the laziest person could pull this cake off.

Me, being the laziest person.

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I know this is an all out decadent recipe, BUT this cake uses only half the amount of oil usually found in chocolate cakes, less flour, no butter, while keeping a maximum rich chocolate flavour. Also, a sugar substitute can be used such as a natural granulated sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar to reduce calorie count.

HOW TO MAKE A CHOCOLATE CAKE

The easiest, MOST amazing, and BEST chocolate cake, using simple ingredients and little time and effort to pull together. The batter is watery when you first mix it together, but it’s meant to be that way. That’s where the fudge-like texture comes in!

Some Tips:

• I use a dark, unsweetened cocoa powder for maximum chocolate richness. You can use Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa powder if you wish. Remember: the darker the cocoa powder, the richer and darker the cake.
• Do not substitute the oil for melted butter.
• You can use full fat milk, reduced fat milk, 2% or skim.
• The coffee in this recipe CAN NOT be tasted, but allows a rich chocolate taste to shine right through.
• Please try not to over bake it as that will dry out this cake. Check it after 30 minutes with a toothpick inserted into the centre. If too much batter sticks to the toothpick, continue baking for another 10 minutes and check again. Our cake baked at exactly 45 minutes, and the toothpick was a little dirty when it came out. THIS is the result you will be looking for if you’re wanting a moist texture.
• Make the chocolate ganache as soon as the cake comes out of the oven. It will be ready and firm enough to spread by the time the cake has cooled down completely.

WATCH US MAKE The Best Chocolate Cake RIGHT HERE

You might also like

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Carrot Cake

Matilda’s Chocolate Cake

Soft Cinnamon Rolls

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4.82 from 173 votes

Best Fudgy Chocolate Cake

By Karina

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 16 people

The most amazing, ONE BOWL, Best Fudgy Chocolate Cake is rich and decadent, with the perfect balance of fluffy and fudgy! An ORIGINAL Cafe Delites RECIPE!

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Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

CHOCOLATE CAKE:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or plain flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar or a natural granulated baking sweetener measuring 1:1 with sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (20 ml)
• ▢ 3/4 cup milk (190 ml)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons instant coffee mixed with 3/4 cup (190 ml) Boiling water

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream or thickened cream
• ▢ 8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan (or 9-inch) with non stick cooking oil spraying. Line base with parchment paper. *SEE NOTES*

CHOCOLATE CAKE:

• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine well.
• Add oil, egg, vanilla and milk to the flour mixture and beat well to combine, about 30 seconds. Pour in the boiling water (with the coffee), and mix until glossy. (Cake batter is thin in consistency.)
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the chocolate cake comes out semi-clean with small amount of cake (not runny batter) on it due to the fudgy texture.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Transfer cake from the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

• Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat over low heat for a few minutes. Watch that it doesn’t boil or simmer it. Once the cream is hot, turn stove off and take the saucepan off the heat.
• Add in the chocolate chips; cover saucepan with a lid and let sit for a good 5 minutes to soften and melt the chocolate. 
• Uncover, and stir slowly first, with a spatula or wooden spoon, gradually mixing faster until ganache is smooth, creamy and glossy. Refrigerate for one hour or hour and a half until thick enough to spread (similar consistency to Nutella).
• Spread evenly over the cake.

Notes

BAKING POWDER: This cake is meant to be super moist and fudgy. If you like a fluffier cake, use 2 teaspoons baking powder. Any more than that and your cake will rise too much and crack through the middle.

Baking soda is not needed in this recipe.

SPRINGFORM PAN (PLEASE NOTE)

Springform pans are NOT 100% leakproof. Very thin cake batters such as this one will leak through the base. To combat this issue, line the base with parchment paper coming up where the sides meets the base to create a ‘cover’. Place a baking sheet on the shelf below the cake pan (or the bottom of the oven) to catch any stray drips (don’t put cake pans directly on the pan).

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this? Leave a comment below!