This is the best, the chocolatiest chocolate cake ever. The cake is moist, packed with intense chocolate flavour then frosted with the most incredible dark chocolate fudge frosting. If you ever want to win the hearts of the chocolate lovers in your life, this chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting is the way to do it.
Hey you guys! Welcome to November or, as we like to call it at home, the month diets die are thrown out the window forgotten are put on hold.
There’s Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving was in October so our diets died a month early), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and all the parties and get-togethers in between.
Phew! That’s a lot. We can’t serve the same thing over and over, can we? Where’s the fun in that?
So starting today it will all be about celebration cakes that you can proudly serve at these delightful gatherings, and goodies that you can make and give out as gifts.
This chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting is just the delicious beginning. Let’s go!
The holidays
Oh how I love the holidays. Christmas season in the Philippines starts in September (I kid you not) when the weather turns a tad cooler and you start hearing Christmas carols played on the radio.
A lot of people say nothing compares to Christmas there and I tend to agree (and not just because I’m biased!). It’s really the most wonderful time of the year!
Streets and homes are lit and decorated, carols are sung everywhere, everybody is just always in a jolly mood.
Christmas here, slightly less intense but I try to make the most of it. Our decorations are up (don’t judge me). And we already play Christmas songs. It brightens up my mood instantly (except when “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” plays then I get teary so we skip that).
Chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting
We also love throwing parties, around the holidays especially. Have you ever been to a Filipino party? There is a real danger of dying from overeating there’s so much food!
Since I learned to bake, by default we almost always serve a cake that I baked. And this chocolate cake is one of my favourite things to make and eat. It’s been tried and tested by our guests and they love it too!
Team Chocolate?
It’s incredibly moist and chocolatey; I adapted the recipe from Hershey’s so I already knew going in that it would be fantastic (I mean, it’s Hershey’s!). I did make it even more chocolatey.
I then paired it with dark chocolate fudge frosting – oh my word this chocolate cake makes me question my loyalties to Team Lemon! It’s that good.
So if you’re already planning your menu for that next party, add this in. It’s a great way to end the meal and your guests will adore you all the more for it!
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pieces large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup coffee hot
For the Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar sifted
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted (for the frosting, I used Dutch processed cocoa)
- ⅓ cup coffee hot
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 15 ounces dark chocolate chopped, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 3 8-inch round baking pans and set aside (for good measure I also line the bottom with parchment paper but you don’t have to).
- Using the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl if you're using a handheld electric mixer), sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on low-medium speed until well incorporated (about 2 minutes). Add coffee and stir until combined. The batter will be thin.
- Transfer the batter into your prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with minimal crumbs.
- Cool in the pans for 10 minutes then on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat unsalted butter on medium speed until light and creamy (about 5 minutes using a stand mixer), scraping the bottom and sides of your bowl as you go.
- Switch to low speed and add confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, coffee, sour cream, vanilla and salt until combined (about a minute). Switch to medium speed and beat for another 2 minutes.
- Add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth (about a minute).
Assembly:
- Trim the tops of your cakes if they are uneven using a serrated knife or a cake leveller.
- Take one and place on a platter or cake turntable, smooth side down (trimmed side up). Evenly cover the top with frosting. Repeat with the 2nd and 3rd layers. For your 3rd layer, remember to place it smooth side up (trimmed side down) so that you’ll have an even top.
- Finish the cake by also covering the sides of your cake with frosting. To help even out the frosting on top and the sides, use a bench scraper and gently scrape away excess frosting.
- Decorate as desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
(Cake recipe adapted from Hershey’s and frosting recipe adapted from Sweetapolita).
Happy baking!
Did you make chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting? Tell me about it in the comments section below. Do you already play Christmas carols too? I’d love to hear all about it.
And check out this fantastic lemon cheesecake recipe for all you lemon lovers!
Jo Ann Casey
Can this glorious chocolate cake be baked in a Bundt pan? If so temperature and time please.
Busy now checking out your other recipes!
Jolina
Hi Jo Ann! I haven’t personally tried but here’s a great article I found: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/8746-converting-layer-cakes-to-bundt Hope it helps!
Kimberly
This cake looks pretty amazing! I’m craving chocolate today and would LOVE to have a slice of this. I’d even settle for a spoon of the fudge frosting. Yum!! Pinned for later.
Jolina
Fudge frosting on a spoon is a perfectly good alternative lol. Thanks Kimberly! Appreciate the pin too 🙂
Lucy
This is just the perfect chocolate cake. It looks delicious!
Shannon
I LOVE chocolate cake!! And really it’s not a total death to our diets since chocolate has so many antioxidants in it right? ; )
Jolina
Absolutely. It’s healthy and good for us so we must eat as much as of it as we can, yes? Teehee!
Claudia Blanton
oh my, this cake looks stunning, so moist, yum! I have not had much time to bake lately, too much to do, but I think I need to try out your recipe. I like how you added some coffee as well, awesome, blessings!
suchi
Such a decadent cake!! looks amazing! would love to try this!!!
Jolina
Thank you Suchi! I hope you like it as much as we do! 🙂
Nina
Mmmmm I love anything chocolate. I’ve always been a big fan of dark chocolate, though. Super yummy!
Jolina
Hi Nina! I’m usually a lemon fan but I really make an exception for this cake 🙂 And yeah, if I’m having chocolate I always pick dark chocolate!
Ana
Wow! This chocolate cake looks tempting and incredibly delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!
Amanda Orlando
This looks so delicious! Can’t beat a classic 😉
CATALINA NINI
I am just dying in here !! I love chocolate in general and this recipe melts my heart. Today is my day off so I will give it a try !! ^_^
Jolina
Nice! Would love to hear how it goes 🙂 Hope you like it!
Jenna
This cake though. Just stop it. I am drooling and craving a big slice. For breakfast. And Christmas in the Philippines sounds amazing!! Christmas music in September! Yes please!!!
Jolina
I’m so happy you don’t think Christmas music in September is weird haha! It really puts me in a Christmasy mood what can I say 🙂 And yes, I may have eaten this cake for breakfast too (neither confirming or denying lol). Thanks Jenna!
Michele
There are so many things I love about this cake…. Chocolate heaven, the moistness of the cake and that frosting I can’t wait to make this!
Lisa Rios
My goodness, I think this is definitely one of those chocolatiest chocolate cake ever that looks so delicious & mouth watering. The chocolate fudge frosting adds more yum to the entire recipe and my kid s are going to love this one right away!
Jolina
I think the fudge really makes the difference here. So much easier to make and handle than normal buttercream too. Hope you and your kids like it! Thanks Lisa!