This rich Chocolate Fudge Cake with pecans is a cross between a fudge brownie and a chocolate cake. This Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe is made with simple ingredients and it’s perfect with powdered sugar, frosting, or a scoop of ice cream on top.
I firmly believe that there are moments where nothing in the world can cure a problem like chocolate can.
There are certain situations and moments when chocolate and only chocolate will do. Whether it’s happy moments, sad moments, or any moment in between, chocolate—at least for a few seconds—is the answer.
This Chocolate Fudge Cake with toasted pecans is one of my favorite chocolate desserts to whip up when I’m craving chocolate and need it now. It’s made with pantry staples (aka easy ingredients) and the chocolate batter comes together very quickly.
This is one recipe you’ll be making over and over again! (Obviously, I can’t speak for you, but I’m pretty confident you’re going to L-O-V-E this. 😉)
With Valentine’s Day approaching, let’s talk about this dessert and how it would be the perfect thing to end the day. I mean, it’s a double chocolate fudge cake (cocoa powder and melted chocolate) with toasted pecans and topped with a healthy dose of powdered sugar. I mean, how can you possibly go wrong??
Of course, I find this fudgy, moist chocolate cake to be perfect all year long, buuuut, this cake is rich, indulgent, and decadent, which makes it the quintessential chocolate dessert for the day of love.
You can easily fancy it up with fresh berries, whipped cream, caramel sauce, fudge sauce, etc. It’s an easy dessert your can make from scratch. It only takes a few minutes to make the batter—the hardest part is waiting for the cake to cool.
**However, if you cut into it a little early, it’s extra gooey and fudgy in the center. 😉 A little pro tip from me to you if you’re into a little extra decadence.
What Makes This Fudge Cake Special:
- Texture: The texture of this Chocolate Fudge Cake is like if a fudge brownie and a really moist chocolate cake had a baby. It’s part chocolate cake, part chocolate brownie, and it’s perfect. It’s cakier than a fudge brownie, but it’s denser than a piece of cake.
- Ingredients: As mentioned earlier, this takes only a handful of ingredients. Most of the ingredients are pantry staple ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s amazing what you can make with simple ingredients!
- Versatile: I love this recipe because you can switch up what chocolate you use, you can switch up the nuts (or leave them out entirely), and you can top it with powdered sugar, ganache, frosting, or ice cream.
Fudge Cake Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter: I typically always choose unsalted butter because I have more control of the salt content in my baked goods.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: I love the flavor of semi-sweet chocolate, and I think it is the perfect choice for this chocolate fudge cake (it’s not too rich, but it’s not too sweet). But, you can use dark chocolate or bittersweet for a richer flavor, or you can use milk chocolate for a sweeter flavor.
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- All Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Espresso Powder: This is an optional ingredient, but the espresso enhances the flavor of the cake without adding any coffee flavor.
- Cocoa Powder
- Vanilla Extract
- Pecans: You can omit the nuts if you prefer, or you can substutite with macadamia nuts, walnuts, etc.
- Powdered Sugar
These simple ingredients come together so quickly to make the chocolate dessert of your dreams, aka, the best chocolate fudge cake recipe.
*You’ll notice there is no leavening in this cake (i.e., baking powder or baking soda), which is why it is such a fudge-like cake.
How To Make This Fudge Cake From Scratch:
- Nuts: Toast the nuts. This enhances the flavor of the nuts and is a really important step.
- Melt: Next, begin by melting the chocolate and butter together. Once melted, add in the sugars and whisk until combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt.
- Vanilla: Add in the vanilla extract, and whisk until combined.
- Nuts: Lastly, add in the nuts and mix until combined.
- Bake: Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 45-50 minutes), and let it cool at least 45-60 minutes before serving.
- Toppings: Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or top with frosting, ganache, etc.
Storage Tips
This fudge cake stores really well at both room temperature and in the fridge.
If you store at room temperature, make sure it’s stored in an airtight container (like tupperware, a cake stand with a lid, with plastic wrap, etc.).
Or, you can store, in an airtight container, in the fridge. The cake will be a bit denser once it’s stored in the fridge. You can eat it cold, or if you’re making ahead of time and storing in the fridge, let it come to room temperature before serving (and dust with powdered sugar when it’s at room temperature).
My Other Favorite Chocolate Recipes:
- Mocha Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies
- Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Chocolate Fudge Cookies
Other Topping Recipes:
- Caramel Whipped Cream: Add whipped cream to each slice before serving!
- Chocolate Ganache: Use the ganache recipe here to pour on top of the fudge chocolate cake while it’s cooling. Let the ganache set completely before cutting into the cake.
- Chocolate Frosting: This is my favorite chocolate frosting recipe! Spread it on top of the fudge cake after it has cooled.
- Strawberry Frosting: This homemade strawberry buttercream would pair perfectly with the rich cake.
Final Chocolate Fudge Cake with Powdered Sugar and Pecans Tips & Tricks:
- Toast Nuts: One of the best tips I can give you is to toast the nuts before you add them to this cake. Toasting the nuts transforms the flavors of the nuts, as it really brings out their oils and flavors.
- Chocolate: You can use a variety of chocolate in this recipe. I suggest using semi-sweet for the perfect blend of sweet and rich, but if you really like an intensely rich flavor, you can use dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate.
- Toppings: Powdered sugar is a simple way to elegantly dress up this fudge cake, but you could definitely fancy it up even more with ganache, frosting, caramel sauce, etc.
- Parchment Paper: I highly suggest using parchment paper or non-stick foil to line your baking pan. Then you can just lift the cake from the pan and cut into squares. Very easy with very easy clean up.
- Fudge: There is no leavening in this cake recipe (no baking powder or baking soda), which is why the texture is so fudgy and dense.
Who needs a slice??
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- powdered sugar, for dusting
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the pecans in a single layer. Toast them in the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until you smell them getting nice and nutty (keep an eye on them, because they can burn quickly). Allow to cool, then chop into smaller pieces. Set aside.
- Line a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper (or grease it well). Set aside.
- Melt the unsalted butter and semi-sweet chocolate together until combined. (You can do this on the stove or in the microwave.)
- Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and mix until combined. Allow the mixture to cool about 10 minutes.
- Next, add in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk well after each addition.
- Add in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Lastly, add in the toasted pecans, and mix until combined.
- Pour the chocolate fudge cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake at 300 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean (a few fudgy crumbs stuck to the cake tester is fine).
- Allow to cool at least 45-60 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder, if desired.
Here are some other favorite recipes:
Marshmallow Oreo Chocolate Cookie Bars
Liz says
Baking another one this weekend! The texture is so good! It really is like a brownie and a cake.
Michelle says
We love it so much too! I’m glad you loved it!