Love and Olive Oil
Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

Sometimes you just want a plain a$$ chocolate cake.

And sometimes sometimes is actually all the time if you happen to be Taylor.

And I realized, while I’ve got recipes for Red Wine Chocolate Cake and Whiskey Chocolate Cake and Lemon Cake with Fudge Frosting, I’d never actually posted a recipe for a basic chocolate on chocolate, the kind Taylor requests each and every year for his birthday, and the kind I usually deny him in lieu of something ‘weird’ (see: aforementioned red wine chocolate cake, which, while good, is definitely not plain).

So, for once, I acquiesced and gave him exactly what he asked for.

And, since it didn’t turn out quite right the first time (the cake was TOO moist—if there is such a thing—and the frosting too stiff, which made it hard to assemble—not that that stopped us from eating the whole thing), I made it again the following week to perfect the recipe.

That’s TWO plain-a$$ chocolate cakes in three weeks, dear husband. Two cakes add up to a whole slew of wife points (still deciding what I should cash them in for… a kitten, perhaps? lol just kidding! 3 cats, unlike 2 cakes, is more than enough).

Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

Anyway. Let’s talk cake.

The base recipe is actually very similar to the Red Wine Chocolate Cake, just with plain hot water instead of red wine in this case, as well as bit more oil and a bit more salt and vanilla to amp up the chocolate flavor.

I learned my lesson with the first cake that you shouldn’t mess with a good thing (I tried to add sour cream to make it even more rich and moist and it was so moist it could barely support itself let alone layers of dense fudge frosting).

Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting Recipe

As for the frosting, it’s a variation on a classic American buttercream, with cocoa and powdered sugar, but made with a bit of sour cream and hot water to cut the sweetness, and melted chocolate to make it even more fudge-like. 

It’s super creamy and shiny when you first mix it up (just ignore that moment when you first add the hot water… despite what it looks like, it will work!) However, like all frostings that use melted chocolate, it will set up and loose its shine as it cools, so you can’t really make it ahead of time. If you freeze your cake layers like I froze mine, you do have to work pretty quickly as you frost the cake to prevent the frosting from setting up too firmly before you’re done. I imagine it’d hold its shine longer in the summer.

While I was originally shooting for a super glossy dark chocolate frosting, this version was too good not to share, even if it wasn’t quite what I intended (I’m going to keep working on that glossy frosting, so don’t be surprised if you see another chocolate cake recipe here in the near future!)

Best Chocolate Cake Recipe EVER - Dark chocolate cake with a rich and glossy (and not too sweet!) chocolate fudge frosting.

Two Layer Chocolate Cake Recipe with Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Pictured is a half size cake, made in 2 6-inch cake pans. A full recipe would give you 2 8-inch layers, or you could also divide it into 3 pans for 3 thinner layers (adjust the cook time accordingly to account for the thinner layers).

But for two people, a 6-inch cake is pretty darn perfect, and the math works out to be exactly half of an 8-inch cake.

Want to make this recipe as cupcakes? I’ve got you covered.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

To get the ultra-dark color for the layers, I used a combination of 75% Dutch-processed cocoa powder and 25% black cocoa for color. While the ultra-Dutched black cocoa gives the cake a lovely rich chocolate color, the extra Dutching it endures means it has almost no fat and no acidity. If you used all black cocoa in this recipe you’d end up with a dry and crumbly, albeit super dark, cake. So please don’t!

What about natural cocoa powder? Natural cocoa powder is more acidic than Dutch-processed cocoa, which undergoes a potassium wash that neutralizes its acidity. You should be ok using natural cocoa powder in this recipe (since it contains both baking soda and baking powder). Frostings aren’t subject to the same chemical reactions as cakes, so it’s not an issue to replace one for the other there either. However, Dutch-processed cocoa is really superior in terms of color and texture when it comes to chocolate cakes… I use it pretty much exclusively in all my recipes, I can’t even recall the last time I bought natural cocoa powder.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

Ultimate Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

Your new favorite chocolate cake recipe is here: dark, fudgy and ultra-moist chocolate cake slathered with a dark chocolate fudge frosting that's ultra rich and not too sweet. The recipe as written will make one 8-inch two-layer cake; if you want to make a smaller 6-inch cake (as pictured), halve the recipe.
5 stars (9 reviews)

Ingredients

For cake:

  • 2 cups / 400 g granulated sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups / 220 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup / 120 g dark or dutch-processed cocoa powder *
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup / 240 g buttermilk
  • 1 cup / 240 g boiling water
  • ¾ cup / 160 g vegetable oil or light olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For Fudge Frosting:

  • 2 cups / 452 g (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups / 300 g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ¼ cups / 150 g dark or Dutch processed cocoa powder*, sifted
  • ½ cup / 120 g full fat sour cream, at room temperature
  • ½ cup / 120 g hot water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch fine sea salt
  • 10 ounces / 280 g 60-70% dark chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and line two 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper. Butter parchment.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt, whisking until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Divide evenly among prepared pans.
  • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes (30 to 35 minutes for a 6-inch cake) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Run a small knife around the edges of each pan, then gently invert onto wire racks. Cakes should come out cleanly. Peel off parchment and allow cake layers to cool completely. At this point, the cakes can be frozen until ready to use, up to 1 month. Simply wrap each layer individually in a double layer of plastic wrap and then store inside a large zip top bag (I find frozen cakes to be much easier to work with later, and always freeze mine even if I’m finishing the cake the next day).
  • To prepare frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until very pale and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder and mix to combine. Add sour cream, hot water, vanilla and salt and mix on low speed until the liquid is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. It may look slightly curdled at this point, but don’t worry. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, another 2-3 minutes. Add lukewarm chocolate and mix until smooth and glossy. At this point you have about 30 minutes at cool room temperature (longer in the summer) to work with the frosting before it begins to harden (this frosting doesn’t do particularly well when made ahead of time).
  • To assemble, level your cake layers first if necessary (if there is any sort of domed top, you want to trim that off with a serrated knife). Place one layer, bottom side up, on a cake stand or serving platter (on a piece of parchment if you will need to move it). Spread about 1 cup of frosting in an even layer, then place second layer on top, flat side up, pressing gently to adhere.
  • Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of buttercream using an offset spatula. This “crumb coat” will seal in the cake crumbs and make the final layer of frosting easier. If your cakes were frozen this should firm up pretty quickly, otherwise refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set.
  • Slather with remaining buttercream in a thick layer, reserving some for piping decorative details if desired.

Video

Notes

  • *I replaced 25% of the cocoa powder in the cake and frosting with black cocoa for an extra dark color, but I don't recommend using more than that. DO NOT use all black cocoa or your cake will be much too dry and harshly flavored.
All images and text © for Love & Olive Oil.

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235 Comments

  1. Hi! I never comment on recipes I try but I had to tell you this one was incredible. I have never had icing this way before. Don’t know if I can ever go back to regular buttercream. Thanks!

  2. Silly question here,  but I’m going to use this recipe for an 8inch birthday box cake covered with fondant and I want to get it right;
    I was wondering if the buttercream frosting during the crumb coat is the same as the fudge frosting or is it a different one? 
    Thanks!

    • You’ll probably want to use a more traditional powdered sugar based frosting underneath the fondant… I think the fudge frosting may be too slippery to really hold it securely. I don’t have too much experience with fondant though so I can’t say for sure.

  3. My husband had requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday this week. I came across this recipe and knew it was the one. My 3 year old daughter helped me mix it up!
    Its delicious and the 6 inch pans are the perfect size for our little family!
    We ate the cake for breakfast (shame shame I know, but I surprised my husband with a kid less night away so we had to celebrate in the morning) I will tell you I didn’t hear one complaint ;)

    Thanks for a great, rich chocolate, recipe!

  4. This is the perfect chocolate cake !!! Thank you 😊 it came out soooo good . Moist but not dense . I only cut back the sugar in the cake by half a cup and I found that to be perfect 

  5. Hi! Do u mean that to bake in a 6inch tin, I’ll just 1/2 all the ingredients in the recipe that u have above? 

  6. I made an awesome construction cake with your recipe for my 2 years old son’s birthday  this weekend and it was a huuuuuge success. Which is something considering that we are French people who all love pastries and cakes. Merci beaucoup ! I’ll tag you on Instagram with a photo. 

  7. Hello I have a quick questions about the baking soda and baking powder. I read That Dutch cocoa works better with baking powder than baking soda so  was wondering if I should Double the baking powder instead of the soda. I saw on the kind Arthur flour recipe that they have it switched In quantity than what is in this recipe 

    • My chocolate cakes always have this proportion of baking soda to powder. I do not recommend switching it as I can’t attest to the results.

  8. A chocolate lover’s dream come true! Cake is super moist and frosting nice and fudgy which is just what the birthday boy ordered. Definitely a new family favourite chocolate cake.

  9. I made this cake yesterday, i absolutely adore the buttercream, its become one of my favourites! However the cake came out rather fudgey in texture which im wondering what happened. The texture of your cake has a nice crumb whereas kine was dense,rich and fudgey 😔

  10. I’m planning on making this cake this weekend for my husband’s birthday. Does the frosting get stiff enough to use as a dam for a ganache filling in between the cake layers?  I wanted to use this frosting on the outside but ganache in between the layers. 

  11. So, I had some trouble…my pans are dark/non stick so maybe that contributed but both layers were done in under 30 minutes and now smell a bit burnt…..

    • Dark pans will definitely cook more quickly than lighter colored pans (mine are aluminum). In the future you can try reducing the oven temp by 25 degrees and then start checking on it a bit sooner: it’s done as soon as a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

  12. I made this cake yesterday for my birthday and it was amazing! I had been looking for a cake which used black cocoa as I wanted to experiment with it and this really hit the spot. This cake is moist and tender and incredibly flavorful. It is very rich but delicious. I decided to use coffee in the cake rather than just hot water to add to the richness and it worked beautifully. I also made 9 inch cakes as those are the pans I had. The frosting spread beautifully and was so light and silky when spreading and eating. This is definitely one of my top 3 cake recipes that I have tried.

  13. This has to be the best cake I have ever made. I don’t have a mixer so do everything with a bowl and a wooden spoon and it was so easy to do. Rich and moist, flavoursome and spongy, 10/10 for everything. Ease. Baking time. Frosting. I didnt buy enough dark cocoa so had to substitute with normal cocoa for about 1/3 of both cake and frosting but it is just so amazing. Thank you for sharing. Love it.

  14. I just made this for my dad’s birthday. He said it’s better than the bakery cake he had made for the 85 Bears Superbowl. That’s high praise!

  15. way too much water
    cannot get the frosting to stay on cake
    way too thin

    consistency looked great..until I added the water

  16. Can I use natural regular cocoa powder for this cake recipe? 

    • I have not tested this so I cannot say. I think it’ll work for the most part, just result in a lighter color/flavor and maybe a slightly different texture due to the increased acidity.

  17. I made this icing yesterday to top a chocolate boxed cake a made for my dad’s birthday yesterday, it was a total hit! It is the best icing recipe i have tried by far, and i will be sharing it with everyone. It is easily spreadable, shiny, and sets up great in the fridge. It tastes great, melts in your mouth like a chocolate meltaway, and looks perfect! Can’t wait to try out the cake recipe next!!

  18. Oh my gosh, I made the frosting recipe and it’s just beyond words good!!!! Its sooooo good, I can’t even believe how perfect it is. I strongly recommend this recipe and will definitely try the cake recipe too! You are magic, good bless you

  19. Hi mam,
    Thank u very much for this recipe. Pls cud u tell me if it is the granulated sugar or castor sugar or powdered sugar or brown sugar that u are using in this recipe? And also if u cud, pls do tell how much sugar shud we use for each type of sugar.

  20. Hi,
    Just wanted to confirm…vanilla essense is 1 Tablespoon? ….and not 1 teaspoon?

  21. Hi!

    I’m just wondering the best way to store any leftovers in the short term (3-4 days)? Is it best to store on countertop, as you mentioned the frosting hardens in the fridge? For longer term storage freezer would probably work.

    Thank you it’s soooo delicious!!! 

    • I recommend refrigerating it, especially in warmer months it’s best to be safe. The frosting will firm up sort of like a ganache, but still plenty delicious. :) I have not frozen a frosted cake, if I’m going to freeze I’ll just do the naked layers and then thaw and frost it before I’m ready to serve.

  22. I made this cake for my husband’s birthday. Did not make the frosting because he prefers white buttercream. The cake was amazingly moist and satisfied my cravings for chocolate. He loved it too.

  23. Best cake I’ve ever had! Rich chocolate flavor, super moist, and a frosting so decadent it is practically mousse. I recommend freezing the cakes before frosting as they are very fragile.

  24. Hello! This was such a hit – the cake was so moist! I was wondering if you have tried to substitute the all-purpose for cake flour to give a finer crumb perhaps? Thank you. 😊

    • I actually prefer AP flour here, cake flour is a bit too delicate and this cake is so moist and tender as is, it needs that little bit of structure to hold itself together. :)

  25. Is the dark chocolate in the icing sweetened or unsweetened?

    • Dark chocolate refers to chocolate that’s about 60-70%, though semisweet would work as well. I wouldn’t recommend using unsweetened though, it’d be too bitter.

  26. This has been the best chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made.  And I bake a lot!!

  27. Hello 
    What measurements should I use to make a 10 inch cake? 
    Thanks in Advance !

  28. Hello, if I make 2  6 inch layers, what amount of the frosting should I make?

  29. Hi Lindsay, I’m usually a really good Baker but this flopped, had to throw the cake away. It was in the oven for over 2 hours and the centre didn’t cook. Also, the measurements you use are confusing. 1 cup = 250 grams, what is the correct measurement for the sugar and flour? Is the flour 1 and 3/4 cups flour, because that’s not 220 grams…

    • Sorry it didn’t work for you! I double checked and the measurements are correct as written. Keep in mind there is a difference between weight and volume of ingredients such as flour. 1 cup of water weighs 236 grams, but 1 cup of flour only weighs 125 grams. 1 cup of sugar is 200 grams. If you use the gram measurements listed you have to use a scale, otherwise stick to the cup measurements.

      Does this maybe explain why the recipe may not have turned out for you?

  30. I have made your (this) cake and icing following the recipe to a “T” and it was the hit of the party! Thank you! 
    I am serving it again this New Years. The cake is in the freezer.
    I will not have time to make the icing the day of the party. If I am willing to sacrifice the “sheen” of the frosting for the flavour.. can I make it ahead?

    • So glad you enjoyed the cake! Once refrigerated the frosting will harden much like a chocolate ganache and won’t really soften even if you let it come back to room temperature. Still tasty, but it’ll be firmer overall and not quite the same ‘cloud-like’ consistency as it has originally.

  31. I’m in the UK I don’t have all purpose flour so what do I use ?

  32. Hi Lindsay could you tell me if this is for 2x8inch cake pans for 6 inch because I want to make it for Christmas and there is more than 2 of us ?

  33. I was just wondering if this cake can be made a few hours before serving because the recipe mentioned the icing hardening? I want to make the full cake in the morning then leave it for an event in the evening

    • The frosting does best at cool room temperature (around 70 degrees). It will firm up a bit more at cooler temperatures, even more so if refrigerated. For a few hours though you’re definitely ok to make it ahead of time! I’d recommend having your cakes at room temperature as well (even though they are easier to frost when frozen, the cold cakes will set the frosting faster).

  34. This is my go to chocolate cake, however I use 1 cup of strong hot coffee rather than just plain boiled water the same in the frosting, it just adds an extra richness. Thanks for the recipe its 10/10 every time.

  35. This recipe was fantastic. My frosting came out really silky, smooth and maintained that consistency/ texture over the course of the week. I took a chance and left my cake out on the counter (I don’t like cold cake, so didn’t want to refrigerate) and didn’t have any issues. Thank you for sharing this recipe! It is definitely a new staple.

  36. This cake was a hit! I turned out perfectly sweet and chocolatey, moist and cakey. Thank you for sharing the recipe! My fiance said it was the best birthday cake he’d ever had! I’m absolutely bookmarking this!

  37. Hey! Do you think this frosting would hold well in doing that striped design with a comb scraper? I want to use a dulce du leche buttercream to fill the stripes then! Can’t wait to try

  38. I would like to make this cake one half larger to make a 9 inch cake. In your opinion is it ok to just increase all ingredients in the recipe by half or……. are there other adjustments I should make.

    • You can make the recipe as is in 9-inch pans, the layers would just be much thinner (so reduce the baking time). If you want to scale up the recipe that’s fine too, just keep an eye on the bake time as it might be more/less depending on the thickness of the layers.

  39. Hi, there.

    I’m looking to make standard sized cupcakes with this recipe, as it looks amazing. I was wondering, should I fill the tins halfway or 2/3? Thanks so much!

  40. OK, thanks Lindsay. Will wait for the cupcake recipe on this. Have a little bit of time as my Granddaughter’s birthday is not until the middle of October. Absolutely love this cake though, both ways I make it-sugar free for my boyfriend and with regular sugar for the rest of the family.

  41. Good morning. Just wondering if anybody has tried cupcakes with this recipe. If so, how did they turn out and did the baking time need to be adjusted? Thanks.

    • Actually working on a recipe for this as we speak. :) Should work in theory but I’m testing it just to be sure. Stay tuned!

  42. I am a complete novice baker but my daughter wants a real chocolate cake for her birthday and this seems perfect!  My question..if I half the recipe will it work as a bundt cake?
    Thank you!
    Melissa

  43. My cakes never rose in the middle?? Old baking powder?

  44. I made this cake, OMG!!! SO, decadent. That frosting, wow! Highly recommend this recipe. My only issue was that I must have done something wrong with frosting, it didn’t set up. Still super delicious, I didn’t mind it for myself but I’m making it as a bday cake & wanna correct that. Ideas?

  45. I would like to make this but only have Cocoa powder and no Chocolate, could the chocolate be left out of the frosting or substituted?
    Thanks!

  46. Hello!
    I just made this cake for the first time this weekend and it was super easy!
    It was also a big hit!
    The only comment I got and would like some help with is that it could stand to be a tad more moist as it did crumble a bit.
    What could I add to ensure a bit more moisture? I know I could add some sour cream or mayo or perhaps more oil. I just wouldn’t know what amount it should be. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I’m making it again for an office birthday party!

    Thank you!

    • If it was a little dry that probably means it was overbaked. Try taking it out a few minutes sooner next time. Also make sure you are using the right amount of flour by weight – too much flour would also make for a drier cake.

    • I made your beautiful frosting and it was so silky, smooth and almost truffle like. It was slightly too rich for our taste, would this work with milk chocolate instead of dark? I really want to make this again next time but with less of a dark chocolate taste. Thank you for the recipe. I will be trying your chocolate cake next time too!

  47. Could you make cupcakes out of this recipe?

  48. It’s so early in the morning and my head can’t seem to wrap around this concept haha- So if I am looking to have 2-8″ round cake layers, I need to double the recipe? Or this recipe is already set for 2-8″ round cake layers? The 6″ cake seems to be throwing me off. Thanks so much!

  49. Can’t wait to try cake and frosting recipes!
    Just wondering if you can use low fat sourcream in the frosting?

  50. Made this cake for my son’s first birthday! Made the cake layers ahead by 5 days and froze them and made the icing the day of. It turned out great. I did a double batch and made 3 8-inch layers and 2 6-inch layers. Made 1.5x the icing recipe and still had some extra icing. Iced each cake separately but layered them for candles and then easily separated the top 6-inch cake for a cake smash. I slightly overcooked the 6-inch layers and they had a drier texture so make sure to adjust your timing. The icing is definitely best on Day 1 – very smooth and creamy, day after it seemed to have a bit more foamy feel to it. Although I did use semi-sweet chocolate instead of dark but I don’t think that would change that too much. Thank you so much for the fantastic recipe!

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