Nigella’s Chocolate Fudge Cake

Nigella’s chocolate fudge cake is a two-tiered chocolate cake with silky fudge frosting. It’s truly the best chocolate cake ever!

Why this recipe works

Look no further for the absolute best chocolate cake recipe. Nigella’s chocolate fudge cake is decadent, moist, and iced to the heavens with rich chocolate fudge frosting. Each bite is filled with blissful chocolatey goodness and tender cake. It’s truly a keeper and one I reach for any time there’s a birthday or celebration – I think you will too!

As per the recipe name, this cake is none other than Nigella Lawson’s from her cookbook Nigella Bites. It topped the charts for the best chocolate fudge cake in my household, and we’ve yet to find another recipe that competes.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

FLOUR – Properly measuring your flour is the key to success when it comes to baking. To do so, measure your flour using the scoop and sweep method. Aerate the flour with a spoon, then scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is slightly overflowing. Then, take the flat end of a butter knife and gently sweep it across the top to level it. Never scoop flour straight from the bag and do not tap the measuring cup to pack in the flour. Doing either of those two things is typically the main culprit for dry, dense cake – which we definitely don’t want.

SOUR CREAM – Using sour cream in cake adds a lot of moisture, I wouldn’t suggest leaving it out or substituting it.

FROSTING – Try not to use anything less than 70% dark cocoa solids for the frosting as it adds incredible decadence. Lindt or Ghirardelli are great options. This recipe will yield enough icing to frost the entire cake, you can cut it in half if you only want to ice in between the layers and the top portion. Otherwise, you can always pop any leftovers in an air-tight container and freeze it for later use. 

How to Make Nigella’s Chocolate Fudge Cake

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and line the bottom of 2 (8-inch) cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl or wide-necked measuring cup whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended.
4. Using a standing or handheld electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and corn oil until just blended (you’ll need another large bowl for this if using the hand mixer; the standing mixer comes with its own bowl), then beat in the water.
5. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together at a slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared pans.
6. Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn the cakes out on the rack to cool completely.
7. To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in the microwave – 2 to 3 minutes on medium should do it – or in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water, and let cool slightly.
8. In another bowl beat the butter until it’s soft and creamy and then add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat again until everything’s light and fluffy. Gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth.
9. Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides, too, spreading and smoothing with a rubber spatula.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Nigella’s chocolate fudge cake calls for a tall glass of cold milk. Sometimes I sneak a slice in with my morning coffee if there’s any leftover! This fudge cake is divine and suits any occasion whether it’s birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, potlucks, or just because. Enjoy!

More Cake Recipes

• Tiramisu Cake
• Red Velvet Cake
• Mayonnaise Cake
• Classic White Cake
• German Chocolate Cake
• Nigella’s Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

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Nigella’s Chocolate Fudge Cake

Nigella's chocolate fudge cake is rich, decadent, and iced to the heavens with rich chocolate fudge frosting. Each bite is filled with blissful chocolatey goodness and tender cake.

4.60 from 10 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 servings

45 minutes mins

Calories: 709

Author: Amanda Formaro

Ingredients

Cake

• ▢ 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup best-quality cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled*
• ▢ 1/2 cup canola oil
• ▢ 1 1/3 cups chilled water

Fudge Frosting

• ▢ 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate minimum 70 percent cocoa solids
• ▢ 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Measuring cups and spoons
• ▢
  2 8-inch cake pans
• ▢
  Mixing bowls
• ▢
  Electric mixer

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and line the bottom of 2 (8-inch) cake pans.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In another bowl or wide-necked measuring cup whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended.
• Using a standing or handheld electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and corn oil until just blended (you'll need another large bowl for this if using the hand mixer; the standing mixer comes with its own bowl), then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together at a slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn the cakes out on the rack to cool completely.

Icing

• Melt the chocolate in the microwave – 2 to 3 minutes on medium should do it – or in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water, and let cool slightly.
• In another bowl beat the butter until it's soft and creamy and then add the sifted confectioners' sugar and beat again until everything's light and fluffy. Gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth.
• Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides, too, spreading and smoothing with a rubber spatula.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• Properly measuring your flour is the key to success when it comes to baking. To do so, measure your flour using the scoop and sweep method. Aerate the flour with a spoon, then scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is slightly overflowing. Then, take the flat end of a butter knife and gently sweep it across the top to level it. Never scoop flour straight from the bag and do not tap the measuring cup to pack in the flour. Doing either of those two things is typically the main culprit for dry, dense cake – which we definitely don’t want.
• Try not to use anything less than 70% dark cocoa solids for the frosting as it adds incredible decadence. Lindt or Ghirardelli are great options. This recipe will yield enough icing to frost the entire cake, you can cut it in half if you only want to ice in between the layers and the top portion. Otherwise, you can always pop any leftovers in an air-tight container and freeze it for later use. 
• Using sour cream in cake adds a lot of moisture, I wouldn’t suggest leaving it out or substituting it.
• Store your fudge cake in an air-tight container or on a cake stand fitted with a lid. Keep at room temperature for up to 4 days. You do not need to refrigerate this cake. If transporting, I suggest using a cake carrier (which you can also use for storage).
• You can prepare and freeze the unfrosted cake layers. Individually wrap the two cake layers in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature, unwrapped.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 709cal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2.8mg

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This post originally appeared here on June 29, 2011 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.