Sometimes, you go for the healthy choice—the salad instead of the burger, fruit instead of a big breakfast, skim milk instead of cream, and skipping dessert altogether. But then there are those moments when moderation takes a back seat and indulgence is the only option. And for those times, this Chocolate Fudge Cake is the answer.
Rich chocolate fudge cake layers, silky salted caramel buttercream, homemade salted caramel sauce, and a glossy dark chocolate ganache all come together to create cake magic. The kind of magic that makes you close your eyes with every bite.
This isn’t just dessert—it’s a showstopper, and it’s worth every decadent forkful.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
- Decadent layers: Moist chocolate fudge cake with a deep, dark cocoa flavor.
- Sweet & salty bliss: Creamy salted caramel buttercream with ribbons of homemade caramel.
- Double chocolate fix: A silky dark chocolate ganache that cascades beautifully over the cake.
- Perfect for sharing (or not): This cake is big, bold, and indulgent—ideal for birthdays, celebrations, or just because.
Ingredients
Chocolate Fudge Cake
- 200g butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (natural cocoa works too)
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 3 teaspoons vinegar
- 1 ½ cups plain cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 180g butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½–1 teaspoon flaky salt
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 300g dark chocolate
- 350ml heavy cream
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 375g butter, room temperature
- 3 cups sifted icing sugar
- 1 ½ cups salted caramel (from recipe above)
Instructions
Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line two 20cm (8-inch) round cake pans.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk cocoa with hot water until smooth. Stir into butter mixture.
- Sour the milk with vinegar. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate soda.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and soured milk into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Fold until combined.
- Divide batter between the pans (¼ each for four layers total). Bake for 23 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter.
Salted Caramel
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt both sugars over medium heat until smooth.
- Stir in butter, then carefully add cream. Return to heat and boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, stir in salt, and cool completely before using.
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Stir in cream until glossy. Cool until pourable but not hot.
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- Beat butter until pale and fluffy.
- Add sifted icing sugar, mixing well.
- Beat in 1 ½ cups of cooled salted caramel. Chill 10–15 minutes until firm enough to pipe.
Assembly
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Pipe a border of buttercream “kisses” around the edge.
- Fill the center with buttercream and drizzle generously with salted caramel.
- Add the next cake layer, repeating with buttercream and ganache. Alternate between caramel and ganache for each layer.
- Top with the final cake layer. Pipe more buttercream on top and pour ganache over the edges, letting it drip down naturally.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy the sweet-salty, chocolatey indulgence!
Tips for Success
- Use Dutch-processed cocoa for a darker, richer cake.
- Make the caramel in advance so it has time to cool before mixing into buttercream.
- This cake is BIG—invite friends to share or embrace the challenge yourself!
This Chocolate Fudge Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream, Salted Caramel Sauce, and Dark Chocolate Ganache is rich, gooey, and utterly irresistible. If you love chocolate and caramel, this is the cake of your dreams.