Just one bite of this Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting will have you head over heels in love! And it couldn’t be easier to bake!
Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Hello and Happy Wednesday! We’re talking chocolate cake today, so let’s get right down to business. Because when it comes to chocolate cake, I don’t mess around!
So, I don’t know about you, but to me, an acceptable chocolate cake must be two things:
- melt-in-your-mouth moist
- packed with real chocolate flavor… and lots of it!
It should also be sturdy enough to stand firm when confronted with a nice thick swirl of fudge frosting. So I guess that’s three things 😉
But of course, we’re not striving for just “acceptable”! We want amazing… epic… bakery-quality chocolate cake that makes our guests swoon and leave begging for the recipe. We want a recipe so perfect it makes its way into our “forever file” after just one try. And of course, we want a chocolate cake that’s made with simple ingredients and an easy to follow method so we can whip it up whenever a craving strikes!
And that, my friend, is where this super decadent chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting comes in! It’s super decadent, meets all of the “perfect chocolate cake qualifications, and is a must try for chocolate lovers! After one bite, I know you’ll agree this one is a keeper with a capital K!
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- So let’s start off with ingredients! This is an oil based cake and can be made with vegetable oil, canola oil, or even refined coconut oil. However, I do not recommend substituting oil with melted butter.
- Because cold ingredients don’t bind evenly, you’ll want to make sure your eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, and milk have all come to room temperature before you begin baking.
- When measuring your flour, it’s important you’re not packing it into the measuring cup. Packed flour will yield a dense and dry cake. So either fluff your flour up, sprinkle it into the measuring cup, and level it off, or weigh it!
- It’s also important not to over mix the batter! Over mixing can lead to dry baked goods, and can even cause them to crack.
- The cake layers should be baked on the middle rack of your oven.
- Of course, you don’t want to over or under bake! Over baked cakes will be dry, while under baked cakes will sink the middle.
- And avoid opening the oven until you need to check if the cake is done.
- For the frosting, I suggest using a quality dark chocolate, such as Lindt 70%. I don’t recommend using milk chocolate, but semi-sweet chocolate may be used if you prefer a very sweet frosting.
- Finally, your cakes should be completely cooled before frosting. Otherwise the frosting will melt onto the cake and make a big, gloppy mess!
So… are you baking this chocolate beauty today, or what!?
If you try this recipe for Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on Instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day. ♥
Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 9" Layer Cake
This Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting is the ONLY chocolate cake recipe you'll ever need!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed coffee or freshly boiled water
For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 20 Tablespoons (12 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 and 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°(F). Generously spray two 9-inch round baking pans with non-stick baking spray and set them aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt on low until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolk, sour cream, milk, oil and vanilla, beating until well combined. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Carefully add in hot coffee (or water) and continue beating until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will quite thin.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pan (placed on top of a cooling rack) before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and place it over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove the pan from heat, then carefully remove the bowl from the pot. Set chocolate aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Once all of the sugar has been added increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla and melted chocolate and continue beating until well combined and creamy.
Assembly:
- Using a long serrated knife, level the top of each cake.
- Transfer one layer to a large plate or cake stand. Using a long offset spatula, spread a thick layer of frosting on top, then top with the second layer. Continue frosting the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with chocolate chips, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or leave as is!
Store in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for up to 2 days.
Notes
This post was updated and republished 4/12/2017.
Courses Dessert
Cuisine Chocolate
How to Philosophize with Cake says
July 3, 2014 at 2:48 pmThat looks awesome! So rich and fudgy and chocolaty, mmmm 🙂
Kat says
May 18, 2016 at 10:41 pmHow much coffee? Is it 1,1/2cups hot water , so how much coffee do i put in.Also can you use fondant over the top, n can you taste the coffee because it will b for a child’s cake.thanks
bakerbynature says
May 19, 2016 at 2:54 pmHi Kat. You can use 1 and 1/2 cups of hot water or coffee. The coffee does come through a little bit, so you may want to use water just to be safe.
Kat says
May 22, 2016 at 5:52 amCan i use fondant over this cake?
bakerbynature says
May 22, 2016 at 12:15 pmHi Kat. I’ve never worked with fondant on this cake, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work 🙂
Tara says
July 4, 2016 at 1:06 amHi, can you recommend a cake recipe either chocolate or velvet which i could cover with fondant for our wedding cake? Thanks!
Ashvinisalunke says
October 26, 2016 at 3:25 amHi in the frosting ingredients what is half and half can you elobrate
Dragonphile says
November 28, 2016 at 8:02 amHalf and half is 10% cream.
Sadie says
July 17, 2017 at 3:06 am1/2 milk 1/2 cream. In your dairy case.
Audrey @ In Shape Cupcake says
July 3, 2014 at 3:18 pmThe next time I eat cake, I’m so making this <3 Chocolate love!!!!! Love the pictures too!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
July 3, 2014 at 3:30 pmOh.My.God.
Alexis @ Upside Down Pear says
July 3, 2014 at 3:40 pmOMG my sweet tooth is in overdrive and needs a piece of this right now! Lucky think is my birthday is just around the corner and I know exactly what kind of cake I want 🙂
Librarian Lavender says
July 3, 2014 at 5:11 pmIf I would make this cake I would eat it all without sharing, it looks delicious!
Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg says
July 3, 2014 at 5:15 pmWhoa! Now that’s a decadent chocolate cake and I want now! I love that this is egg free too. Pinned!
Michele says
November 22, 2014 at 12:00 amWhere are you seeing no eggs? It’s got 2 whole eggs plus 2 additional egg yolks!
Hiba says
July 11, 2015 at 10:59 amYou do know that there are 2 eggs and 2 more egg yolks in there?
joyce says
September 8, 2015 at 4:16 pmIt calls for two eggs plus 2 egg yolks
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
July 3, 2014 at 5:32 pmThat fudge frosting is calling my name, what a gorgeous cake!
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
July 3, 2014 at 6:14 pmOh my!!! This looks amazing and is just decadent!!
Mom says
July 3, 2014 at 7:51 pmAsh I want that for my Birthday lol.
Rochelle @ Oh So Sweet Baker says
July 3, 2014 at 9:25 pmThis cake looks amazing and that fudge frosting looks to die for! Yummy
Brad says
June 19, 2015 at 3:56 pmRochelle, you look super sweet dark and delicious.
Consuelo - Honey & Figs says
July 3, 2014 at 10:25 pmI have no words…. this cake looks spectacular!!!
adrian @ the food gays says
July 4, 2014 at 1:41 amthis looks like a masterpiece! that i am sure would go brilliantly well with a cold glass of milk. beautiful photos too!
Tieghan Gerard says
July 4, 2014 at 3:21 amI am all about this cake. Gimme now! 🙂
Monet says
July 4, 2014 at 4:01 amOh girl, I’m hungry now! I love chocolate….especially in cake form!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
July 5, 2014 at 12:30 amI AGREE 100%! This is my idea of THE PERFECT chocolate cake! Pinning!
Medeja says
July 5, 2014 at 10:24 amThis cake looks just irresistible!
Julie says
July 9, 2014 at 7:49 pmI need this cake in my life.
Sherry says
July 9, 2014 at 11:57 pmMaking this right now and the house smells delicious!
Tere says
July 17, 2014 at 12:25 amThis looks amazing. Has anyone made this and substituted the coffee for decaf (does it matter?) because I want to make this a kid friendly cake.
bakerbynature says
July 17, 2014 at 12:37 amHi Tere. You can absolutely substitute the coffee for decaf 🙂
Karen O says
July 18, 2014 at 3:31 pmWhat can I substitute for coconut oil? Family member is allergic to coconut.
bakerbynature says
July 18, 2014 at 3:49 pmHi Karen! You can give canola or vegetable oil a try 🙂
Trisha says
July 19, 2014 at 9:49 pmThis cake had a good flavor. The frosting was nice and rich also. But although the cake was moist, it was very crumbly when frosting it and when cutting it. There was a large mound of crumbs after slicing it up. And even when eating it, it fell apart. I wonder if it had to do with no eggs in the recipe? Do the eggs help hold the cake together? It’s a shame because the cake took a good bit of time to make.
bakerbynature says
July 20, 2014 at 11:04 pmHi Trisha. I’m so sorry you found the cake to be crumbly. Two questions – 1) Were you able to slice it? 2)Did you let the cake cool completely before icing? As you can see from my photos I didn’t have a problem with the cake crumbling and it stayed completely intact while eating. I’m going to retest the recipe again just to be sure.
Aliza says
August 29, 2017 at 7:45 amHi Baker by nature..loved the recipe..just wanna know..if i want to make a small cake..can i just half the ingredients??.plz reply
monique says
August 9, 2014 at 11:03 pmThis cake is in the oven! I only had 8 inch pans and it made 12 cupcakes as well lol lots of batter with this cake. I will let you know how it turns out. I am making a caramel cream cheese frosting with it. side note Trisha i did use eggs with it.
Kat says
March 8, 2018 at 4:35 amWhere are all of you getting that this cake has NO Eggs… this recipe clearly calls for 2 Whole EGGS and 2 Egg Yolks!
Carole says
August 12, 2018 at 4:17 pmThe recipe I’m looking at calls for 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk.
maria socorro says
July 26, 2014 at 4:32 pmHi!!! I would like to know how can I susbtitute coconut oil???there is not possibility to find it out in my city…Maracaibo, Venezuela….can I use cannola oil????..Thanks!!!
bakerbynature says
July 26, 2014 at 5:41 pmHi Maria, I would sub canola oil and add 1 egg 🙂
Doreen morgan says
August 3, 2014 at 3:06 amUgh my son and I hate coffee. My son made the recipe for his 13th birthday and we took a bite of the cake and it had a VERRY strong tasted of coffee
bakerbynature says
August 3, 2014 at 2:56 pmHi Doreen. So sorry to hear you thought the cake tasted strong of coffee. When I tested the recipe I found the coffee wasn’t noticeable, but you could use hot water next time.
Gary says
January 26, 2017 at 2:06 pmYou both hate coffee, but put coffee in the batter and then didn’t like the recipe because you could taste the coffee? Hmmm
Carole says
August 12, 2018 at 4:15 pmclearly states you can use water instead of coffee.
Micaela says
August 5, 2014 at 9:18 pmThe cake looks amazing, one question though, what’s the 1/2 cup half and half in the frosting recipe? thanks
bakerbynature says
August 5, 2014 at 10:02 pmHi Micaela! Half and half is half milk/half cream. It’s typically found in the dairy isle near milk.
Karlijn says
August 6, 2014 at 3:30 pmThis looks sooo good! I’m going to try this this weekend. I have two questions:
1. Half and half is non-existent in my country, could I use coffee milk? (8% fat)
2. I see some comments say that there are no eggs in the recipe, did you add them later or am I missing something ?
Thank you! I look forward to trying this 😀
Elzette Potgieter says
August 13, 2014 at 8:51 amHi,
Can you please help me. I want to try and make this recipe, but want to substitute the coconut oil. Did you use coconut oil in the liquid form. Do you have any advice on what I can use as a subsitute and do I use the same quantity (of say canola oil or vegetable oil) ?
Thanks!
I read in the above comments something about canola oil and an egg. Will the cake then not turn out too eggy since there are already 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks in the originak recipe?
Thanks!!
Kristina @ My Own Home Blog says
August 19, 2014 at 8:37 pmYumm! This looks amazing! I gotta try this 🙂
Becca from It's Yummi! says
August 26, 2014 at 12:57 pmThis looks FABULOUS! Brian’s birthday is on Saturday and as usual, he’s asked for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. I think I’ll give your recipe a try this year, but since it’s just the two of us, I’ll be halving the recipe 😉
bakerbynature says
August 27, 2014 at 1:16 amYay! I hope you and your hubby enjoy the cake 🙂 xo
Natalia says
August 28, 2014 at 10:50 pmI just finish making this cake! I can’t even explain you how delicious it is. I made many chocolate cakes, this on is by far my favorite!
bakerbynature says
September 3, 2014 at 7:38 pmYay! So happy to hear it 🙂
Lea Casimir says
September 1, 2014 at 4:58 amI would like to try this recipe, but I am allergic to butter. What could I substitute for the butter in this recipe?
bakerbynature says
September 1, 2014 at 1:10 pmHi Lea. You could try using all oil, although I haven’t made it that way, I think it would turn out 🙂 Good luck! xo
Jane Campbell says
September 1, 2014 at 3:43 pmMaking this right now and after adding only 1 c coffee it seems really runny. Think i will leave out the other 1/2 cup and see how it turns out.
As far as the other comments about it being egg free…the recipe i am using says to use 2 eggs and 2 more egg yolks. Maybe that is why Trisha’s cake was so crumbly?
bakerbynature says
September 2, 2014 at 9:05 pmHi Jane. Yes. The recipe does call for eggs. The batter will be quite thin but bakes up beautifully. Many commenters have said this cake is a hit, and I hope it is for you too 🙂 xo
Alison says
September 3, 2014 at 5:33 amI had high hopes for this cake, but sadly it was disappointing. I made it for my husbands birthday (a chocolate lover) in the hopes that it would turn out as chocolatey and fudgy as advertised. I followed the recipe to a T and the cake turned out beautifully moist, however bland, and the icing was far too sweet, not rich. I do plan on trying this recipe again, with some minor tweaks to see if that helps.
bakerbynature says
September 3, 2014 at 7:38 pmHi Alison. I’m sorry the cake wasn’t what you were looking for. I’m not sure why it would be bland… let me know how your tweaks go 😉
Nickie says
November 25, 2016 at 10:11 pmI thought it was a little bland as well. Wasn’t as rich as I was expecting. Definitely needs more salt, and a little more sugar would probably help too. The batter tasted divine before cooking. I haven’t made the icing yet. Thanks for the info, I’ll go ahead and tweak it a little. Maybe add some instant coffee granules and more chocolate, or sub out some cocoa powder for some of the powdered sugar.
Patty says
September 10, 2014 at 10:40 pmWhat do I use instead if I don’t have coconut oil?
bakerbynature says
September 10, 2014 at 10:45 pmHi Patty. You could try vegetable oil or canola oil. The finished cake won’t have as much oomph in the flavor, but should work in a pinch 😉
Marg says
September 21, 2014 at 5:44 ami have fractionated coconut oil and hard coconut oil. Would they work
bakerbynature says
September 21, 2014 at 4:12 pmHi Marg. The coconut oil needs to be melted down to a liquid before adding it to the cake. Good luck!
Teresa says
October 6, 2014 at 8:34 amOh, that looks wonderful! I love coffee in chocolate cake – you’re right, it totally enhances the flavour.
bakerbynature says
October 6, 2014 at 6:01 pmYes! Coffee in cake for life 😉 Thanks, Teresa!
Beka says
October 13, 2014 at 1:14 amSilly question. For cakes I have always heard it is best to sift the flour but that changes the “volume”. Do you recommend sifting after measuring 4 cups? I cannot wait to try this on my foodie/ besties! Thanks 🙂
bakerbynature says
October 13, 2014 at 4:37 pmHi Beka! Not silly at all 😉 I did not sift my flour, but you could give it a try if you want 😉 I just lightly scooped the flour into the measuring cup and leveled it off with a knife.
Kim says
November 19, 2014 at 11:35 amHi. I would love to try this cake as I think it looks stunning. Just a few things that I’m not sure about. In South Africa we don’t get coconut oil so I will use canola oil. Does coconut oil actually have a taste of coconut? So, if I use canola oil should I add a drop of coconut essence or what was the reason for using coconut oil in the original recipe? I noticed somewhere that you suggested adding an extra egg if using canola oil. Has anyone else made this cake with canola oil and used an extra egg? Is it necessary. The cake will then contain 5 egg yolks which sounds like a lot. Also, what consistency should the batter have once everything is mixed? Should it be runny? Many thanks. Kim
bakerbynature says
November 19, 2014 at 1:26 pmHi Kim. You can simply just swap out the coconut oil for canola oil. The batter will be thin, but that’s how it should be 😉 Good luck!
Michelle Moodley says
May 1, 2015 at 8:23 pmHi, I live in Johannesburg, South Africa and coconut oil is readily available everywhere. Could possibly be something you didn’t notice available since you never had the need for it?
Elizabeth says
November 23, 2014 at 3:26 pmI just made this cake yesterday, and it was great- hands down, best chocolate cake I’ve had. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for the recipe!
Ramina says
December 1, 2014 at 5:09 amI’m going to make this awesome cake for my boyfriend’s birthday. Just a question, we cxelebrate his birthday tomorrow evening, but I don’t have time for a cake tomorrow. Is it ok if I prepare the batter today and finish the cake with frosting tomorrow? Will the cake (baked part) still be good and delicious if it will be in fridge for 24 hrs?
bakerbynature says
December 1, 2014 at 2:05 pmHi Ramina. You can bake the cakes today and pop them right in the freezer (right after you bake them; still hot) and flash freeze them. Once they’re frozen solid, wrap them in saran wrap. Then set them out on the counter a few hours before you want to ice them.
Michelle says
January 3, 2015 at 8:15 pmthey might actually frost better if the cake is a bit crumbly if they are flash frozen first 🙂
The Good Taste (Bea) says
December 13, 2014 at 3:00 pmYep! looks really delicious. To see the picutes makes you wanna taste it RIGHT NOW! 🙂
Lauren says
December 16, 2014 at 8:38 pmThis cake looks fantastic! I am making it for my sisters in laws birthday today!! One question, I used 2 9″ cake pans (and they are fairly full, I little worried about overflow, though they haven’t baked yet!) and I have enough for what looks like around one more pan full. Is this normal or did I do something wrong? I thought o followed the recipe perfectly…
bakerbynature says
December 17, 2014 at 1:39 amHi Lauren. Hmmm… If they’re more than 3/4 of the way full, I’d say for three layers and just adjust the time. I don’t think the two would overflow (I always make them in two pans), but since I’m not there to look first hand, I don’t want you to have a mess all over the oven 😉
Michelle says
January 3, 2015 at 8:14 pmMy son picked out this cake for his birthday tomorrow. It is currently in the oven and is still not set in the middle…and it has been an additional 10 minutes, and still its not set. Im an avid baker (my mom has made cakes/owned her own bakery my whole life) and I know my oven temp is on and that the measurements were accurate. I’m wondering what is off? They look beautiful I’m just concerned that the outsides will be overdone by the time I get my centers cooked. There was an awful lot of batter for two 9 inch pans. Help?? (and I did not make the mistake others did and omit eggs :))
bakerbynature says
January 3, 2015 at 9:24 pmHi Michelle. This cake may take longer to bake in your oven than it did in mine, even if yours is indeed at the right temperature. I would just continue to bake it until it’s set in the center… I wish I had more advice but since I’m not there with you, it’s hard to say what went wrong. This recipe will yield two very thick cake layers, so the amount of batter sounds about right. Let me know how they turn out. Good luck, dear!
Usha Ramesh says
January 6, 2015 at 3:17 pmAny Eggless Version???? Can I use milk maid instead of eggs??
bakerbynature says
January 6, 2015 at 3:23 pmHi Usha. I’m not sure what milk maid is. This recipe needs the eggs for rise and texture, but if you do experiment with an eggless version, let us know how it goes 🙂
Usha Ramesh says
January 6, 2015 at 3:55 pmsorry..Milkmaid is Condensed Milk.
Nicolette says
January 8, 2015 at 3:57 pmIs it also possible to use white chocolate for the frosting?
bakerbynature says
January 8, 2015 at 4:00 pmHi Nicolette. I have never tried with white chocolate, so I am unable to say if it would work or not.
maliha says
January 9, 2015 at 6:03 pmHi can u give me some eggless cake recipes because i dont have electric beater or can i make this cake with hand better plz ans
bakerbynature says
January 9, 2015 at 8:58 pmHi Maliha. I can definitely test out some eggless cake recipes for the future. However for this cake you could beat the eggs with a whisk if you don’t own a mixer 🙂
Nat says
January 22, 2015 at 1:47 pmHi I plan on making this cake but I’m used to the conventional method of creaming and then alternating wet and dry ingredients when adding them to the batter. The recipe here requires mixing some of the wet ingredients with the dry first and then adding the eggs and fat. Does this method produce a moister cake with tender crumb? What is the science behind this particular way of mixing the batter. Thanks in advance for any tips you offer.
bakerbynature says
January 22, 2015 at 2:15 pmHi Nat. Adding the fat at the end helps reduce the chance of over mixing, which would result in a dry cake 🙂
Nat says
January 25, 2015 at 7:35 pmThanks so much for taking the time to reply. I cannot wait to try this method out. Have a great day
michelle says
January 31, 2015 at 7:57 amhow much coffee and water did u use?
bakerbynature says
January 31, 2015 at 3:06 pmHi Michelle. This cake recipe uses hot coffee, which is indicated in the ingredients list (in the recipe box at the end of the post). Please let me know if you have another question 🙂
Denise says
February 11, 2015 at 7:45 amHi, I’ve read all the comments and didn’t see any that might help with my question 🙂
What measurement of coffee grounds to water, do you use to what you consider “strong”? I’m not an avid coffee drinker, but LOVE chocolate/coffee combination though I have never made it. So, with that admission (Lol) on my part, do you think 1 cup of grounds to the 1 1/2 cups of water be too much? I’m just trying to get an idea of what to use, so as not to be “too much” Lol!
Thank you very much! I can’t wait to make this cake and frosting! It will be perfect for my upcoming birthday 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
bakerbynature says
February 11, 2015 at 2:42 pmHi Denise. I brew my coffee in a french press, and use 6 tablespoons (usually just Strabucks Dark Roast) to 4 cups of broiling hot water. Then I just use a cup from that pot. I think 1 cup of grounds to 1 1/2 cups of water would definitely be way too strong 😉 What kind of coffee maker are you using?
Sunitha says
February 26, 2015 at 5:15 amHi, I have made the cake yesterday. The followed the recipe exactly as u have said. It was just awesome. My hubby and my son loved it. Thanks for posting this recipe.
bakerbynature says
February 26, 2015 at 3:17 pmHi Sunitha. I am so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for reporting back and letting me know – it always makes my day to hear a recipe came alive and brought someone joy 🙂
S says
February 26, 2015 at 11:16 amHi, we dnt have half & half in my country
bakerbynature says
February 26, 2015 at 3:16 pmHi S. Half and half is simply a mixture of half milk half heavy cream; if you cannot find it already made you can mix the two together and make it yourself. 🙂
Susan says
February 26, 2015 at 1:17 pmCan I use all purpose gluten free flour instead of regular flour since I am allergic to wheat?
Thank you
bakerbynature says
March 4, 2016 at 12:03 pmHi Susan. I’m not sure 100%, but I believe a cup-for-cup GF flour replacement could work.
Marie says
March 6, 2015 at 8:26 pmJesus Christ. Where do I even start?
I found this recipe on Pinterest, on a sleepless, chocolate-craving night about 6 months ago. I think it may have been one of the reasons I decided to start baking, actually. This, and chocolate chip cookies ^^
Anyway, I bought the coconut oil for it and it sat in my pantry ever since–but tonight was the night!
Now, I was only planning to make 1 layer, to sort of try the recipe out, so I halved the recipe but guess what? It was more than enough for two pans! I don’t know how but I’m not complaining!
At first I was worried when I noticed how runny the batter got with all that coffee, but I whacked all of it in anyway because “it might be fun”. And it was. Oh boy it was.
I was also worried about how it would bake in my oven, because I have a crappy electric oven that’s usually hopeless for… most things really. That’s why I halved the recipe–so my layers would not be as tall. Baked them one at a time at 350 F/175 C as you directed, but ended up done after only 20 mins in there. Super smooth! 😀 And the best part is both layers baked PERFECTLY. I didn’t even get a crusty/crumbly top or edges like I usually do when baking anything larger than cupcakes 😛 The whole thing is just magically moist and evenly baked throughout!
Taste: fantastic. Smell: fantastic. Texture: fudgy and soft and just literally melts in your mouth. Appearance: unbelievably beautiful.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so pleased with the result of a recipe. This is madness. You deserve a sh*tload of cred! 😀
Finally–THANK YOU! And sorry for the wall of text! 😛
Wish you all the best!
~Marie, Sweden
bakerbynature says
March 6, 2015 at 8:29 pmHi Marie! Your comment really just made my day 🙂 I am so so soooo happy this cake was a hit for you! And thank you for all of your thoughtful, generous comments. Happy baking to you!
Marie says
March 7, 2015 at 12:00 amOh yay 😀 My pleasure! Always great to put a smile on someone’s face!
Oh and one more thing, while I’m at it. If there’s someone else out there having trouble finding unsweetened chocolate in their store, I found a page that guides you through the process of converting into using semi-sweet by altering proportions of chocolate, sugar and butter 😀 I used it, and it obviously came out great! Definitely bookmarked!
http://chocolatecrafter.com/conversionsfordi.html
‘Til next time! :*
Halley says
March 9, 2015 at 3:06 ammade this tonight and it was sooooo good! Only one small thing, I must have done something wrong with the frosting. It was delicious but was a little runny. I am not super good at baking. I tried to follow your directions but must have messed up a part. Any idea why mine would be runny? It didn’t present well because of that but luckily I was just making it because so we all ate and enjoyed my funny looking but oh so good cake. I will try again for sure, this cake is so good it is worth the effort it will take me to learn to make it right. Thanks for the post.
bakerbynature says
April 2, 2015 at 1:52 pmHi Halley. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the cake! Sometimes a runny icing just needs a tad more sugar 😉
Hayley says
March 12, 2015 at 6:06 pmhi!
This looks absolutely beautiful and delicious! I want to try out the recipe for my cousin’s engagement party, but I’m concerned about how it would hold up under fondant. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
bakerbynature says
March 4, 2016 at 12:04 pmHi Hayley. I have zero experience with fondant, but this cake is pretty sturdy, so if it’s a thin layer, it should hold up.
Renee B says
March 15, 2015 at 9:46 pmI have made this cake twice now for birthday’s in the past few weeks, it is simply amazing! It is a new favourite with my family. 🙂
bakerbynature says
March 15, 2015 at 10:01 pmHi Renee. That is SO awesome 🙂 Thank you for sharing this with me – it touches my heart and makes me so happy to hear! xo
mardía says
March 18, 2015 at 5:37 pmHola que es mitad y mitad
Cara says
April 2, 2015 at 1:18 pmI had the worst experience with this recipe. Way too much flour. Way too much sugar. It came out disgusting in fact and I followed every part of the recipe. It also made way too much batter, I could have made four cakes.
bakerbynature says
April 2, 2015 at 1:50 pmHi Cara. I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this recipe. If you’d like to troubleshoot any of the issues you had please let me know. Many readers have had wonderful results with this cake so I’m always curious to know what went wrong. Best, Ashley.
Lee says
April 5, 2015 at 12:20 amWe made this cake today in honor of International Guitar Month!
http://brightskysix.blogspot.com/2015/04/international-guitar-month-2015-cake.html
It turned out fantastic (even with less sugar and a cream cheese frosting), PLUS my 5yo ate it. Usually she only eats frosting. 🙂
Thanks!
~Lee
bakerbynature says
April 6, 2015 at 10:57 pmHi Lee. I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed the cake; it’s one of my favorites 🙂 And hooray for your kiddo moving beyond the frosting (although I’m pretty sure I only ate frosting around that age too haha). xoxo
lourdes says
April 14, 2015 at 1:57 pmhow much is 1 stick + 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted in grams?
bakerbynature says
April 14, 2015 at 3:33 pmHi Lourdes. I’m not sure, but I’m sure you could google it and find a converter 😉
Nataly says
April 20, 2015 at 1:48 amam I reading this right? Melt the butter completely? And how much water do I add to the 1 1/2 cups of coffee? Thanks a bunch!
JennyT says
June 15, 2015 at 5:44 pmI have the coconut oil that still has the coconut flavor in it. Is that going to really mess with the flavor of the cake?
bakerbynature says
June 15, 2015 at 7:09 pmHi Jenny. I always use coconut oil and never detect a coconut taste in the final product 🙂
Zahra says
July 2, 2015 at 10:37 amHey there, I’ll definetly try this cake, but how much is 1 stick of butter? 100 grams or 200?
bakerbynature says
July 2, 2015 at 11:51 amHi Zahra. One stick of butter is 4 ounces.
Shirley says
July 11, 2015 at 12:18 amHow do you slice the cake so perfect?! Making hubby bd.
bakerbynature says
July 11, 2015 at 2:56 pmHi Shirley. I typically refrigerate the cake for just 20 minutes before slicing – this helps the frosting set a little so it stays nice and clean when sliced 🙂
lilian salinas says
July 12, 2015 at 3:34 amhola donde puedo ver tu exquisita receta en español,gracias
Lus says
July 14, 2015 at 5:50 pmi cat seem to find any sour cream, what can I use as a substitute?
bakerbynature says
July 14, 2015 at 6:41 pmHi Lus. You could try Greek Yogurt 🙂
Robert Martin says
July 25, 2015 at 8:03 pmTip for sifting. I use a whisk and work it in the bag or container of flour. Heat and humidity can alter the density of flour. Storage conditions are not always ideal. Flour can also be put in the Freezer.
The cake looks delic. Coffee makes all the difference.
If using a ganache icing which is so good and easy to make. .In Canada our large choc bars are 100grms = 3.5274 oz.
I always uses those for ganache. Quality bars often sell for $1 at Food Basics or 4 for $5. Various types. I tend to use Dark. I also like use Hershey Special Dark 35%
Jeanne says
August 10, 2015 at 2:29 amCan you use something other than coconut oil such as butter or canola oil?
Susanne says
August 16, 2015 at 4:54 amI made this cake for a friend’s birthday. I’m not a baker, but the recipe was very easy to follow and the cake turned out perfectly…well it wasn’t as pretty as the picture, but it was rather delicious. I highly recommend this recipe!
bakerbynature says
August 17, 2015 at 12:53 amHi Susanne! Thank you so much for letting me know the cake was a hit 🙂
carolina says
September 6, 2015 at 10:52 pmHi can you tell me how many servings come out of it ,thank you
bakerbynature says
September 8, 2015 at 1:29 pmHi Carolina. This recipe yields one double layer cake. Each round is 9″.
Gwyneth Baker says
October 10, 2015 at 9:59 pmHi. Would it be possible to post you’re decadent chocolate cake recipe in pounds and ounces. We don’t use cups and sticks in Ireland and would love to make this recipe accurately. Also I think there is a difference between American cups and Australian cups? Thanks Gwyneth
bakerbynature says
October 11, 2015 at 3:13 pmHi Gwyneth. As this time I am only posting my recipe is US measurements (I plan on changing that in the future) but there are many online tools that could help you convert this recipe into the measurements you need.
Anne Marie says
October 21, 2015 at 3:41 pmHi! I wanted a completely decadent chocolate cake for my birthday so I tried this recipe. It turned out okay, but wasn’t as flavorful as I was expecting. Also, it seemed like a lot of flour. After mixing the dry ingredients, I could barely hand mix the first two wet ingredients in and even had trouble after adding the rest of the wet ingredients! I do not have a stand mixer, but was unable to use my hand mixer because the batter was so thick! I used the exact measurements – 4 cups of flour, 3 cups of sugar – I store my flour in the fridge – would that mattter? It was not until I added the cup and a half of coffee that after yet more manual mixing I was able to use my hand mixer. The icing was delcious, by the way. Also, faux pas on my part – I did not have 9 inch cake pans so I filled two 8 inch ones to the brim – high cakes!!! For the lower tier I sliced the top off to make it level, and I should have done same with the other one, but liked the height, so I left it as is on top so it was rounded. But afterwards I realized this made for too much cake and not enough icing in a bite. I should have followed one of the comments and saved some batter for cupcakes or something else. The cake came out okay, but I guess I was expecting more flavor.
bakerbynature says
October 22, 2015 at 2:10 amHi Anne Marie. Happy belated birthday! I’m sorry you weren’t thrilled with the results of this cake recipe. It’s strange, some readers rave over it while others don’t care for it as much. I plan to retest this recipe soon and make some updates if needed. Thank you for your feedback.
Mellisa says
January 24, 2016 at 12:11 amI’m not sure what happened or where I went wrong but I make the frosting and it turned out like cake batter. Wasn’t fluffy and whipped, it was runny and really wet. I added at least one more cup of confectioners sugar and still didn’t thicken up. Where did I go wrong?
Matt Burns says
February 10, 2016 at 5:09 pmI loved the way this cake looked and sounded but the directions were unclear. The directions didn’t mention melting the coconut oil first. What butter to use where. Also how much vanilla in what parts. If these were more clear I have no doubt it would be nice.
Crystal Hibner says
February 14, 2016 at 5:16 amJust made this cake for Valentine’s day for my family and all I can say is WOW! This is exactly what I was looking for and the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. I’m a serious baker and have been having trouble finding a scratch chocolate cake recipe that can pass the WOW factor test and this is it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and I will be making this a lot for years to come.
bakerbynature says
February 14, 2016 at 2:53 pmI am SO happy to hear it, Crystal! Happy Valentine’s day 🙂
Michelle says
February 23, 2016 at 8:57 pmHello,
My favorite cakes to make are chocolate ones. So I will try your cake recipe.
I do not drink coffee or own a coffee maker so I ask can I add instant coffee crystals to the hot water and if so how much coffee crystals would you suggest makes strong coffee?
Also one of my daughters friends is allergic to coconut you said we could use canola oil and add an extra egg or not. Is it truly okay to not use the extra egg with the canola oil?
I think that’s the questions I have.
Thank you in advance for a reply.
(*_*)
Chelle
Rabia says
February 24, 2016 at 7:07 amHey there.
I wanna bake this cake as it looks awesome. Im nit such a good baker but i wanna give it a try.
I have a few questions
Can i bake it in a microwave as i dont own an oven? If yes, at high speed or low speed? And for how mucch time? Plus can i substitute butter for oil and readymade chocolate for homemade cocoa, milk and buttrr made chocolate? And yes about the milk, can i use full fat milk?
Help would be appreciated. Tx
bakerbynature says
March 4, 2016 at 12:07 pmHi Rabia. You cannot bake this cake in a microwave. You cannot sub oil for the butter without changing the taste and texture. Full-fat milk will work fine. Good luck!
Zarmina says
February 24, 2016 at 9:09 amHi I want to try this beautiful cake but am just stuck how much coffee granules should I put in 11/2 cup of water I have only Nescafe coffee pl guid so I can try it as soon as possible thanks.
bakerbynature says
March 4, 2016 at 12:06 pmI would say add two tablespoons of coffee to the water, for a strong coffee flavor. You could also leave the coffee out and just use hot water.
Jennifer says
March 24, 2016 at 12:56 amI love to bake. Reminds me of being in the kitchen with my grandmother and great-grandmother. Thant said, chocolate cake from scratch is always a difficult cake for me because they seem to always be lacking something. Always off balance!
I work as the only woman with 10 men and I bake each a desert of choice for their birthday. I’m baking this cake for one of my guys’ birthdays tomorrow.
I followed the recipe to a tee, only I sift all dry ingredients after measuring (unless specified to sift prior), just a habbit my grandmothers taught me. I was very worried about the thickness of the batter after adding the milk and sour cream… but I kept going. I was holding faith in my fellow baker! Adding the next set of wet ingredients did wonders! It was slightly thinner than a box mix to me, but not so thin I worried about it.
My problem was a had A LOT of batter! I filled 2 9″x1.5″ rounds 3/4 full, a 4″ round spring form 3″ deep, 6 cupcake liners, AND had some left I dumped into a corning ware 3.5″ square baker. Holy moley this recipe makes CAKE!
It bakes BEAUTIFULLY! I had to keep checking on all my small cakes, so my times were all messed up, but everything baked evenly. AND TASTES FABULOUS! I dug into a warm cupcake a d it is great! A nicely balanced flavor, light and airy and moist.
I haven’t even iced these yet, I was so excited about how well these baked up after seeing such an unconventional batter while I mixed! If that icing is as good as this cake is, the boys are going to be asking for ine every week!
Beautiful recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Bronte says
May 2, 2016 at 12:09 pmI do not often like cakes that I make as I find they are dry, but this one was so good!! However, next time I will have to make the mixture in two lots, as it was falling out of the bowl that goes with my kitchen aid! Makes a massive amount of batter! Other than that, absolutely love it (although I didn’t make the frosting, I just made a vanilla buttercream). It was so rich and reminded me of a lighter mud cake – YUM!
bakerbynature says
May 2, 2016 at 3:17 pmSo happy to hear it, Bronte!
misty says
May 18, 2016 at 5:44 amIve made a chocolate cake with coffee before because i read all over the internet the coffee couldnt be tasted. The cake was really good but everbody could taste the coffee. Wish i could find a really good choco cake without coffee
bakerbynature says
May 19, 2016 at 3:00 pmHi Misty. You can substitute all of the coffee called for in this recipe with hot water 🙂
Justine Razon says
July 25, 2016 at 6:09 amHello! lovely recipe! it tastes amazing! I had recently tested out this cake last night. I separated the batter in two 9 inch pans and cooked it at 350 degrees. But as my cakes cooked, the dome on the top grew really big to a point it cracked on the top. After I cooled the cakes to transfer them to a plate, it COMPLETELY spilt in HALF and did not stay together at all. Please tell me what I did wrong and what I could do to fix it as it tasted so good but did not hold up at all 🙁
Kristine says
August 1, 2016 at 2:38 amHi, im first time baker, what milk do you use in this recipe? Do evaporated milk is good? I want to try this, thank you
Sara says
September 5, 2016 at 4:06 pmCan you substitute anything for the vanilla extract in the icing? Just tryi to avoid another trip to the store.
bakerbynature says
September 5, 2016 at 4:36 pmHi Sara. You can just leave it out 😉 It won’t change the taste too much.
Nicole says
September 24, 2016 at 1:08 amMaking cakes has always been a breeze for me, but this cake came out incredibly dry and dense with little flavor. The only thing that saved it was my frosting which was my own recipe, not this one.
Indi says
September 28, 2016 at 8:59 amHey Just wondering, I was planning on making one later instead of two layers. How would I be able to do that in terms of the recipe? Thanks,
Carolien says
November 15, 2016 at 8:13 pmHey there,
I am Carolien from The Netherlands and I have a question about the frosting ingredients.
What is 1/2 a cup Half and Half?
Thanks in advance.
Xxx
bakerbynature says
November 17, 2016 at 2:07 pmHi Carlien. Half and half is a dairy product made up of half cream and half milk.
Ellen Williams says
December 16, 2016 at 6:04 pmI’m happy that you shared this Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting recipe with us. It’s really nice. Thanks, Bakerbynature for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Sharon says
December 20, 2016 at 2:00 pmThis cake looks so perfect! For the frosting, you said to use unsweet chocolate but then recommended the Hershey’s dark chocolate, which is a bittersweet chocolate. Is that what you meant? Unsweet chocolate has absolutely no sugar so I just want to clarify. Thanks!
Samantha Lee says
January 25, 2017 at 1:41 amCan anyone recommend the best possible kind of unsweetened cocoa powder to use with this recipe please!!!!????
nirosha says
January 25, 2017 at 8:37 amHi !
I cant find half and half in my country. Can I use cream and milk separately. How much ??
How much does one stick of butter weigh ??
Cande Maxie says
May 8, 2017 at 3:18 amThis cake is very good, but I had problems. There was too much batter for 2 9″ cake pans. I went ahead and followed directions for pans and put excess in a loaf pan. The layers were very high. I waited 10 minutes for cooling and they stuck to pans. I sprayed the pans with oil. Next butter and flour. When I turned them over both layers cracked into many pieces. Into the garbage. No way to save. Next time will make 3 layers. From reading questions I did discover one mistake I made. I didn’t liquefy the coconut oil. Maybe this was the culprit. I think next I will use safflower oil. Will definitely make again and hope for better result. I had made the frosting the day before so frosted the loaf and took it to a friend for her opinion. She owns a restaurant and she loved it. Froze remainder of frosting.
bakerbynature says
May 8, 2017 at 12:35 pmHi Cande! Thank you for this comment. This is a very old recipe and I plan to revisit it later this month and work out any kinks 🙂
Sara Nipper says
May 20, 2017 at 4:15 pmThe coconut oil is a solid fat and should be used as a solid fat similar to butter or shortening. I made this today and replaced it with shortening. I realized early in the mixing that the math was wrong and greased and floured 3 9 inch pans. next time I’ll use 4 as these still came up very high in the middle.
Sara Nipper says
May 20, 2017 at 4:07 pmI pinned your recipe this week as my Saturday fun activity. I regularly test new recipes and need to point out some flaws (yes, three years late).
The math is wrong for the pan size and number of layers. This recipe has 8 1/2 cups of dry ingredients and 5 1/2 cups of wet ingredients. That’s almost 8 cups of finished batter, entirely too much for 2 pans. I greased and floured 3 9 inch pans and should have used 4. Someone not familiar with baking would have spent the rest of the day cleaning out their oven.
Even using three pans the cooking time was 40 minutes, so 45 minutes for two enormous layers would be uncooked.
Other comments asked about substitutions for coconut oil. It is a solid fat and can only be replaced with another solid fat, either increase the butter or add shortening.
Liz says
May 31, 2017 at 2:22 amI really want to try this cake but can i leave out the hot water? My other recipe that I use also calls for hot water or coffee but I always leave it out and it turns out great.
Elizabeth says
October 5, 2017 at 4:54 pmHello! I would love to try this recipe, but my husband is allergic to coconut oil. Could your recommend a substitution?
Thank you!
Elizabeth
Zack says
October 26, 2017 at 9:26 pmHi,
Curious as to the rationale for the high proportion of ingredients? There seems to be a lot of flour, fat, and liquid for a two pan cake. And the ratios of those to each other are quite a bit off from what is typical of a butter cake or high ratio cake. I also see the amount of leavening seems small for the amount of flour as do the eggs.
Also, does the melted butter and coconut oil behave like regular oil in the batter?
Thanks!
Olivia says
November 21, 2017 at 10:38 pmHello! The cake was great so delicious my friends loved it. I have two questions. Can i use dutched processed cocoa? I have followed the recipe at it says it turned out well. It was sliced but it falls apart. What might have been the problem? I love the cake so im hoping next time i bake it, it’s perfect. Thank you
Sofía says
April 13, 2018 at 11:29 amI recently found a recipe for homemade buttermilk wich includes milk and white vinegar or lemon. Can I substitute with that mix? Where I like there’s no buttermilk
Sara says
April 15, 2018 at 3:50 pmHi Ashley!! How do you get that perfect cut?? Can you share that please?
bakerbynature says
April 17, 2018 at 11:38 amHi Sara! I let the frosting “set” for about an hour, then use a sharp knife, and wipe it with a warm towel, between each cut! I hope that helps 🙂
Nancy says
April 17, 2018 at 9:03 pmHey Ashley,
My daughter found this cake and texted the site to me and asked me to make it for her birthday. I made the cake on April 5, 2018. We enjoyed the cake so much so I decided to make it again for my grandson’s birthday. However, the recipe above is very different from the one I made just a few days ago. The icing is different too. I clicked on the same text my daughter sent. But this is the recipe that keeps coming up. Is there a way to get the other recipe? It had 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks. 1 1/2 cups coffee. The icing had half and half. If you can help, I’d appreciate it.
jennifer Lockemeyer says
May 12, 2018 at 9:21 pmHalf way through the recipe, but i don’t see where the milk is supposed to be added in? to the cake batter? to the frosting? help! haha
Hope L Ettore says
June 13, 2018 at 10:51 pmHi, we are making this cake today and although milk is listed in the ingredients it isn’t listed in the recipe?
Erika Adams says
September 2, 2018 at 5:37 pmwill this be too much batter for a 9×12 casserole dish? makin this today hopefully!
bakerbynature says
September 4, 2018 at 10:51 amI think it will be too much for that size pan.
Lindel Wiebesiek says
January 9, 2019 at 2:07 pmHi there. I made this cake before the recipe and loved it. I noticed the last time I made it that the frosting recipe has changed – any chance you could send me the original recipe? Thanks!