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Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe

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If you are looking for an amazing chocolate fudge cake recipe, this is the 3 layer cake you want to make. This fudge cake is moist and delicious and surprisingly easy to make. It looks amazing, tastes even better and everyone will be asking for the recipe.

slice of chocolate fudge cake on a white plate

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Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe

When it comes to cake, there are so many amazing recipes but I am always trying to make one that is even better than the last. This 3 layer chocolate fudge cake is going to be hard to beat. With walnuts in the batter, vanilla frosting between each layer, and fudge icing over it all, this is going to become a well-loved cake that you will make often.
 
chocolate fudge cake with decorations on a cake board

Can I Freeze The Fudge Cake Layers?

While it is always best if you can freeze the cake when it is not assembled, you can freeze this cake after it is made too. You will want to cut the cake into slices and then freeze the cake on a baking sheet or on a plate. Once the cake is frozen, wrap it well in plastic wrap to make sure it is well protected from freezer burn and it does not slide apart while it is in the freezer.

Can I Use Pecans instead of Walnuts?

If you prefer pecans to walnuts, they are on sale or that’s what you have, you can certainly use pecans instead. Many people swap these two nuts in recipes. The tastes and textures are similar and either one will taste fantastic in this Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake.

chocolate fudge cake, not cut,on a cake board

Tips for Assembling a Chocolate Layer Cake

When you are assembling a chocolate layer cake there is a few things that you want to do to make it easier. Once the cakes are cooled and removed from the cake pans, you want to make sure the cakes are even. Trim the tops of the cake where a dome forms so that the cake will sit flat against each other.

When you are ready to put the first layer down, if you are worried the cake will slip, add a little bit of icing down before putting the cake down. This will stick the cake in place. Then add the cake. You will add a large amount of frosting between the layers of cake. Once you have added the frosting, smear it to cover the cake layer.

Add the next layer of cake and repeat the process. You will frost the sides of the cake with the excess frosting. And then cover the cake with the chocolate frosting.

slice of chocolate fudge cake on a white plate

Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe Ingredients

  • Flour
  • Cocoa
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Kosher salt
  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Dark chocolate
  • Unsalted butter
  • Canola oil
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Eggs
  • Walnuts
  • Powdered sugar
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Cream cheese, soften
  • Heryhey special cocoa powder
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Semi sweet chocolate chips

How to Make Chocolate Fudge Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 and using pam baking spray, spray 3 9inch round cake pans

Using a medium whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

Using a medium saucepan over medium to high heat, combine the water and sugar.

Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. About 1 minute

Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until melted

Whisk in the canola oil and vanilla extract

Quicky whisk in the eggs to avoid them cooking into the chocolate mixture.

Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients until combined

Fold in the chopped walnuts

Divide the batter between the three round cake pans

Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

How to Make Vanilla Frosting Recipe

 Using a standing mixer, beat together all ingredients until combined and smooth

How to Make Chocolate Frosting Recipe

 Using the standing mixer again, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth

Gradually mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt

Very slowly, beat in the powder sugar until combined

Whisk in the heavy whipping cream until the ice cream is smooth and fluffy

Building the cake directions:

Remove the cakes from the pans

trimmed chocolate cake

Cut the domes off the tops of the cakes

Place the first cake layer down onto a cake board

vanilla frosting on chocolate cake layer

Scoop 1 cup of the vanilla frosting onto the top of the cake layer and smooth evenly

2 layers of cake with vanilla frosting

Place the second cake layer on top

3 layers of cake with vanilla frosting

Scoop remaining vanilla frosting on top of the second layer and smooth evenly

Place the third cake layer on top of the frosting

Chocolate walnut mix Directions

Combine into a bowl and mix together

Decorating the cake

Scoop 1 cup chocolate frosting into the large piping bag and set aside

Using the remaining chocolate frosting, frost the entire cake

chocolate fudge cake with walnuts

Coat the bottom of the cake with the chopped walnut and chocolate chip mix

Chocolate Ganache Directions:

Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream until steaming

While heavy whipping cream is heating up, place chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl

Once the heavy whipping cream is heated, pour over the chocolate chips

Allow to sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth

Pour ganache into the squeeze bottle

chocolate fudge cake with ganache

Pipe dollops of ganache over the edge of the cake and cover the top, spreading evenly

Pipe dollops of frosting on top

Sprinkle with some left over walnut and chocolate chips.

Cut and enjoy!

  whole chocolate fudge cake on a cake board

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 Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe

 

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Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12
If you are looking for an amazing chocolate fudge cake recipe, this is the 3 layer cake you want to make. This fudge cake is moist and delicious and surprisingly easy to make. It looks amazing, tastes even better and everyone will be asking for the recipe.
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Ingredients 

Chocolate Ingredients:

  • 4 C flour
  • 1/2 C cocoa
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 C water
  • 4 C sugar
  • 10 oz dark chocolate, chopped
  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 C Chopped walnuts

Vanilla Frosting Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 C powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 4-6 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Chocolate Frosting ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
  • 1 - 8 oz cream cheese, soften
  • 1 1.2 Heryhey special cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 7 C powder sugar
  • 1/4 C heavy whipping cream
  • 1 large piping bag with star tip

Chocolate walnut mix ingredients

  • 2 C chopped walnuts
  • 1 ½ C mini chocolate chips

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:

  • 1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 C heavy whipping cream
  • 1 large squeeze bottle

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Instructions

Chocolate Directions:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 and using pam baking spray, spray 3 9inch round cake pans
  • Using a medium whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
  • Using a medium saucepan over medium to high heat, combine the water and sugar.
  • Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. About 1 minute
  • Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until melted
  • Whisk in the canola oil and vanilla extract
  • Quicky whisk in the eggs to avoid them cooking into the chocolate mixture.
  • Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients until combined
  • Fold in the chopped walnuts
  • Divide the batter between the three round cake pans
  • Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Vanilla Frosting Directions:

  • Using a standing mixer, beat together all ingredients until combined and smooth

Building the cake directions:

  • Remove the cakes from the pans
  • Cut the domes off the tops of the cakes
  • Place the first cake layer down onto a cake board
  • Scoop 1 C of the vanilla frosting onto the top of the cake layer and smooth evenly
  • Place the second cake layer on top
  • Scoop remaining vanilla frosting on top of the second layer and smooth evenly
  • Place the third cake layer on top of the frosting

Chocolate Frosting Directions:

  • Using the standing mixer again, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth
  • Gradually mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt
  • Very slowly, beat in the powder sugar until combined
  • Whisk in the heavy whipping cream until the ice cream is smooth and fluffy
  • Chocolate walnut mix Directions
  • Combine into a bowl and mix together

Decorating the cake

  • Scoop 1 C chocolate frosting into the large piping bag and set aside
  • Using the remaining chocolate frosting, frost the entire cake
  • Coat the bottom of the cake with the chopped walnut and chocolate chip mix

Chocolate Ganache Directions:

  • Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream until steaming
  • While heavy whipping cream is heating up, place chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl
  • Once the heavy whipping cream is heated, pour over the chocolate chips
  • Allow to sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth
  • Pour ganache into the squeeze bottle
  • Pipe dollops of ganache over the edge of the cake and cover the top, spreading evenly
  • Pipe dollops of frosting on top
  • Sprinkle with some left over walnut and chocolate chips.
  • Cut and enjoy!
Author: Laura

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