The Unlikely Baker

Easy and Delicious Recipes for the Home Baker!

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

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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. 

The Best Ever Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

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

The Best Ever Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

The Best Ever Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

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

The Best Ever 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. If you follow my blog, you now that if I’m having chocolate, I want it to be chocolate, like these:

Anyway, so back to this cake. 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!

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Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Moist chocolate cake with luxurious dark chocolate fudge frosting. This chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting is the best chocolate cake. Ever.

Ingredients

    For the Chocolate Cake:
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup coffee, hot
    For the Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for the frosting, I used Dutch processed cocoa)
  • 1/3 cup coffee, hot
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 15 ounces dark chocolate, chopped, melted and slightly cooled

Instructions

    For the Cake:
  1. 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).
  2. Using the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl if you're using a handheld electric mixer), sift 2 cups sugar, 1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt.
  3. Add 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat on low-medium speed until well incorporated (about 2 minutes). Add 1 cup coffee and stir until combined. The batter will be thin.
  4. 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.
  5. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes then on a wire rack to cool completely.
    For the Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
  1. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1 1/2 cups 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.
  2. Switch to low speed and add 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/3 cup coffee, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt until combined (about a minute). Switch to medium speed and beat for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth (about a minute).
    Assembly:
  1. Trim the tops of your cakes if they are uneven using a serrated knife or a cake leveller.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Decorate as desired.
https://theunlikelybaker.com/chocolate-cake-with-chocolate-fudge-frosting/

(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.

Check back in on Thursday – I have a fantastic cheesecake recipe, this time for all you lemon lovers!

In the meantime, here are more cake recipes that will blow the socks off your guests:

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Can this glorious chocolate cake be baked in a Bundt pan? If so temperature and time please.
    Busy now checking out your other recipes!

    Reply

  2. 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.

    Reply

  6. This chocolate cake is something worth dying for and yes, the summer is over, no more diets! Lets enjoy as much as we can

    Reply

  8. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  18. 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!!!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  19. 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!

    Reply

  21. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  24. I am always looking for new dessert recipe to try. This cake looks so delicious and easy to make. I am excited to give it a try.

    Reply

  27. I am a huge fan of chocolate and so are my girls! We love the Holidays because somehow, there’s just more sweets. I really love this recipe, I’d like to keep it!

    Reply

  30. I love this already! The cake looks so beautiful and delicious! I’ve been craving for sweets, especially chocolate for a couple of weeks now and just can’t be without my daily dose. A slice of this cake would definitely make my day 🙂

    Reply

    • Isn’t it? It’s just too difficult to resist all these cakes and cookies and not to mention wine (and also it’s unfair lol!). Hope you have a great holiday season Nikki!

      Reply

  35. OMG This looks like heaven! That chocolatey goodness would definitely be appreciated here in our home. I think I am definitely going to have to make this soon!

    Reply

  43. I’ve had this recipe for years in my recipe book. This was handed down to me by a very close friend back when we lived in Australia when your Tito Nel was doing his PhD. This chocolate cake, by itself, is always a hit whenever I bring them to potluck lunches or dinners. But I have never tried icing or frosting it because that’s one thing that I never got to do perfectly. But with the chocolate frosting recipe that you shared, I think it’s about time that I level up a bit. Who knows, I may be able to finally make one perfect chocolate frosting on my favorite chocolate cake. Thank you and take care always.

    Reply

    • Hi Tita Kim! Hope you can try my version 🙂 The fudgy frosting is really so good! I’d love to hear when you finally get the chance to make it. Sana magustuhan nyo though I have yet to find a Mernel copycat hehe. Ingat! Miss you guys!

      Reply

  45. Whoa….Christmas in September? That’s early. And I thought we started early in Canada! You have your decorations up? Wow girl! Though, I must admit, I am pretty excited just reading that! I think we’ll put ours up early part of December. I can’t believe it’s almost here. So much to do, including going to all those food filled Christmas parties 😉 Definitely going to have to get an extra bit of exercise in just to make up for all that extra eating, lol 😀 You know I love lemon like you, but a good chocolate cake never hurt either. This one looks super moist and reaaaaally chocolatey and if you’re gonna do chocolate, do it right, right 😉 ? And you’ve done just that! Plus, it just looks GORGEOUS!! Happy Monday 🙂

    Reply

    • I always thought Canada started SO late haha! And would you believe my first “Christmas” party would be in November? Teehee. I’ve started my double calorie intake already in fact! And my oh my this chocolate cake is so so good if I say so myself! Hope you get to try it! Hope you’re having a great week!

      Reply

    • LOL yes they are 🙂 And yes I hope I can bottle and sell that! I’d be rich on Christmas spirit 🙂 PS: the fudge frosting is EVERYTHING.

      Reply

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