If you love dessert cakes that are rich and chocolatey with a soft centre and chewy edges, this is the one for you. This Chocolate Fudge Cake has been the most requested dessert in my house for almost two decades. It started off as individual puddings (because nobody likes to share), but over time it turned into this fudgy, crackly-topped cake that disappears fast. We usually serve it with Chantilly Cream, but it's also lovely with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and some strawberries on the side.
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The texture actually gets better the next day. It firms up just enough, turns a little denser, and the chocolate flavour deepens. My boys always race for any leftovers to have the next day -it's first in, best dressed!
If you want a fabulous chocolate fudge loaf cake recipe (just change the pan for a loaf cake) or a showstopper chocolate fudge cake, this recipe is for you.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Chewy edges and soft, gooey centre
- Simple ingredients
- Full of real chocolate flavour from melted dark chocolate
- Versatile: you can easily adapt it to a gluten free chocolate fudge cake, try a little orange zest for a chocolate orange fudge cake twist, or even go decadent and swirl through some Salted Caramel for a chocolate caramel fudge cake
Recipe Ingredients
- Dark chocolate: Use good quality chocolate with 50 to 70 percent cocoa for best flavour
- Eggs, separated: Yolks add richness, whites give the cake its lift and delicate top
- Plain flour and almond meal: Just enough structure without making it heavy
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make A Chocolate Fudge Cake
Before you start, butter and line a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper, then dust the sides with flour or cocoa.
- Step 1: In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate together. Stir constantly.
- Step 2: In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with caster until pale and thick. Pour it into the melted chocolate mix and stir it through.
- Step 3: Stir through the flour and almond meal.
- Step 4: In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. With the whisk going, start to slowly add the extra caster sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Step 5: Gently fold one-third of the whisked whites into the chocolate mix to loosen it. Then fold in the rest, in two more additions.
- Step 6: Pour into your prepared tin and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-45 minutes. The edges should be set, but the middle will wobble a bit. That wobble turns fudgy.
Hint: Let it cool fully before you slice. The middle needs time to set properly.
The texture of this cake is So Good!
My family ask for this cake all the time"
Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten free: Swap the plain flour for a gluten free blend
- Flavour twist: Add espresso powder or orange zest for a different flavour profile
- More chocolate depth: Use a minimum 70 percent dark chocolate and a small pinch of sea salt
Storage
- Room temperature: 1 day, covered
- Fridge: Up to 4 days
- Freezer: Wrap slices and freeze for up to 3 months, then bring back to room temperature to serve.
Top Tip
Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs won't whip up as well and can make the chocolate seize when mixed. Let them sit out for 30 minutes before you start.
FAQ
Yes, and it's even better the next day. Store it in the tin and cover it well.
It helps a lot. This cake is soft in the middle and tricky to remove otherwise. I use this one.
The top cracks as it bakes because the whipped egg whites expand in the oven. As the cake cools, it settles and forms those cracks. It's part of the texture and totally normal.
Yes. Place the mixture into greased ramekins and bake them in a water bath for about 25 minutes.
Yes! Wrap the whole cake tightly in 2 layers of clingfilm, or wrap individual slices. It will freeze for up to 3 months. Just bring back to room temperature before serving.
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Chocolate Fudge Cake
Equipment
- 1 23cm Springform Cake Tin
Ingredients
- 250 grams Unsalted butter
- 250 grams Dark chocolate callets or pieces
- 6 Eggs separated
- 165 grams Caster sugar superfine sugar
- 70 grams Caster sugar for the egg whites
- 35 grams Plain flour
- 25 grams Almond meal
- 1 pinch Cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180℃ or 350℉ and butter a 23cm springform tin, then line the base with a disc baking paper. Dust the inside walls with extra flour or cocoa powder and set aside.
- In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick, then stir it through the melted chocolate and butter mixture in the saucepan.
- Stir through the flour and almond meal.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggwhites and cream of tartar at medium speed, until soft peaks form. Now slowly start adding the caster sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold ⅓ off the whisked eggwhites into the chocolate mixture, then continue folding in the remaining eggwhites in thirds.
- Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes. When cooked, the cake should be wobbly in the centre, but set at the edges. Cool completely in the tin before serving.
Nutrition
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Harvey says
scrummy
Sandra says
My family loved this!
Celeste says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Mel says
My family loved this!