Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe
I have to come clean…..I’ve just eaten this for breakfast while I finalize this post. It’s that good!! lol
This One Bowl Chocolate Fudge Cake (with a dairy free option) is super easy to make, and extra nice to clean up. I don’t know about you but since starting THM (read my testimony here) I’ve been on double dish duty, so making a THM dessert that’s tasty, moist, fudgy AND super easy to clean up is a very welcome change indeed.
#Disclaimer ….you do indeed have to wash the two round pans you bake this in as well! Lol
This is by far THE most searched for, reviewed, and loved recipe on this blog. I get feedback on this recipe every single day, I’m not kidding. and I love it!!
People make it for family members who aren’t currently eating sugar free and it’s just as enjoyed as if it were a sugar filled one. It often goes unnoticed, and is a family favorite to many, including mine. I’m so happy that this recipe is well used and loved.
It’s become a go to for us here in the Benoit house, whether it’s in the round cake, 9×13 or made into cupcakes, it’s enjoyed in any format, and requested often.
I love using the icings I’ve created and linked below. I often use both recipes at the same time. I mean who doesn’t want salted caramel whipped topping and peanut butter cup frosting together???? lol
This Cake has a dense fudge cake texture that is thick and decadent, and how to top it is totally up to you.
I’ve made this with a couple different frostings or icings.
Salted Caramel Whipped Topping
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Frosting (as seen in these photos)
Another delicious option is when I’ve kept it super simple and had this unfrosted with fresh strawberries and whipped cream….yup…all winners in my book. <3
Make this one for your family and friends that aren’t currently doing THM….they will be clueless that they’ve just eaten something that isn’t destroying their waistlines. It’s so delicious!! <3
Ingredients:
3/4 cup Gentle Sweet Blend (buy here) -OR- 6 Tbsp of Super Sweet Blend (buy here)
1 1/2 cups THM Baking Blend (buy here) -OR- Nili’s Baking Mix (find recipe here) * see note
3/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder (buy here)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Mineral Salt (buy here)
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 cup Butter (melted) – OR – 1/2 cup Coconut oil for a dairy free option (melted)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Caramel Extract (not required, can sub with 1 extra tsp of Vanilla)
2 Eggs
1 cup of Strongly Brewed Coffee (boiled plain water instead of coffee is excellent as well)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and side rims of two nine inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sweetener, baking blend, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Blend in almond milk, melted butter (or coconut oil for dairy free option), vanilla extract, 2 eggs and blend well for a couple minutes. Once well blended slowly add in the cup of strongly brewed coffee (or water) until well mixed in scraping side of bowl to ensure it’s blended well.
- Pour the cake batter into the two prepared round cake pans and bake for 20-30 minutes until the cake is done by testing with a toothpick. Let cake cool completely then remove from pans and place on a wire rack to cool before frosting. This cake becomes more fudgy the longer it cools. Even better the second day, if you can wait that long. 😉
* I can’t recommend any other baking mixes with this recipe first hand, as I’ve only used either the THM Baking Blend and Nili’s Baking Mix and both yield an incredible cake that’s fudgy (once cooled) and decadent. So please proceed with caution when using other mixes. You can purchase the Trim Healthy Baking Blend (buy here) or gather the ingredients you need to makes Nili’s Baking Mix, see recipe (list here)
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With Love,
Chrissy <3
Related Post: Raw Cookie Dough Recipe / Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe
117 Comments
Any recommendations for baking times if I do cupcakes instead?
I would start checking for doneness around the 12 minute mark.
Great! Thank you! I’m hopefully going to try it tonight 🙂
Oh that’s great!! I hope you like it!!
I can only use Swerve. Any ideas on how I could substitute that for the sweetener in this recipe? Thanks!
You can use Swerve , just refer to the THM “sweetener conversion chart” found on the THM website for erythritol as that’s what Swerve is.
So to replace the gentle sweet we would need 2 cups of swerve/erythritol? That seems like a lot or is it fine?
Swerve measures just like sugar so 2 cups isn’t unheard of in desserts.
Does it make a difference whether you have granulated or powdered?
not totally necessary….I just either use the powdered sugar form of swerve or I’ll grind it up as it doesn’t dissolve like sugar.
what did you frost this with? It looks so delicious!
If you read above you’ll see a link to my Peanut Butter Cup Frosting
If you read above you’ll see a link to my “Peanut Butter Cup” frosting.
I just made your cake, this from now on will be my go to cake!! I am diabetic and this makes me so happy!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
I’m so glad to hear that Tracy…..thank you! <3
I LOVE this. Thank you! Also very good with whip instead of frosting. Do you happen to have nutrition facts?
Hi Laura, I don’t worry too much about the nutritional facts as the Trim Healthy Mama plan encourages to judge or meals by fuel types and not numbers. If you still require that info you can use this helpful website
http://www.oneingredientchef.com/how-to-get-nutrition-facts/
This is DELICIOUS! My kids and I made this last night and refrigerated it overnight. Chocolate cake for breakfast! We made the PB frosting, too. Perfection. Thank you so much!
Oh thank you so much!! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it.
Love this cake, it is the best and so easy, it is our new favorite cake! Now I just need to find a good vanilla and lemon cake, I hope you are working on those! Thanks for sharing your great recipes.
Hahaha I am!!! That’s too funny! I’ll keep you posted! <3
Can I make this is one pan and just ice it on top?
I would like to bring this to potluck
Yup, it will likely take longer to bake though. Enjoy your potluck!
Anyone know if there’s a way I to substitute something for the eggs? I have a daughter allergic to eggs.
Here’s a great chart. The flax /water combo looks worth a try. http://www.peta.org/living/food/egg-replacements/
I would like to try this today! Would substituting almond milk with regular milk work, too? My daughter is gluten-free, but not fully a THM–yet! We are doing our homework together! Thank you for your time & efforts!
You could. But you’ll soon notice when you use Almond milk that it doesn’t alter the flavor much at all.
This is divine!!! I made them as cupcakes and was able to nibble on them all week! I love having that little bite of sweet after my S dinner. The last batch, I even added a little mint extract so they were mint chocolate cupcakes! And I forgot to add the salt and caramel extract to the frosting (duh!), but it was yummy nonetheless. I’m still getting used to the Stevia taste, and noticed that the sweetener seems to blend in better about 24 hours after I bake the cupcakes. Or at least to me. THANKS so much!
That’s awesome to hear!! Love the Peppermint idea! <3
Chrissy, I concur with everyone else, this is THE cake. You knocked it outta the park with this. I made some mint icing and my craving was healed! I got a little too crazy and put real mint leaves in the icing and messed up the taste for one of my kids, but I still ate it like a starving person! Thanks lady you are the best!
Lol, that’s so awesome to hear! Love it! Thank you!
Hey Chrissy!
My cake is cooling as I type. Can’t wait to try it!
I saw a little typo in the recipe that you might want to correct—change “scrapping side of bowl” to “scraping.”
Thanks for all you do to encourage fellow THMs!
Wow. This cake is fabulous! I am a good cook but wouldn’t have the first thought of how to create a recipe like this. Thanks for sharing your talents!
I halved the recipe and it worked great! I also used half dark cocoa and have regular–so it is nice and dark. Delicious!
Thank you again!
Thank you so much!! I’m so happy you liked it! <3
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Any idea for cooking times if I do it in a 9 x 13?
Start checking for doneness around the 20 min mark with a tooth pick.
I made this subbing out the caramel extract with almond extract. Amazing!
Was wondering if you store this in the fridge or counter. Just made it for Father’s Day and can’t wait to try this tomorrow.
I love to store it in the fridge. It gets fudgier!
Could you use cashew milk instead of almond?
Thanks
Yes absolutely
This cake is my absolute favorite THM dessert so far! You nailed it!! My sister is staying with us for a few weeks and she has been amazed at what she gets to eat any time she wants to at my house :). Thank you so much for the effort and love you put into this recipe, it is a home run!
That’s so sweet of you! Thank you, I’m so glad you liked it <3
I am so thankful to have come across your blog. I will be making this cake tonight and the Salted Carmel Icing to go with it! Thank you for your recipe!
Mine is in the oven right now. I have a question.
When you say “Blend in almond milk . . . 2 eggs and blend well for a couple minutes. . . .” do you mean by hand or with a mixer? And if with a mixer, what speed? I used my electric mixer on low until I added in the boiled water, then I went to medium based on many years of cake baking. But I’m not confident that this was correct because the world of THM baking is much different from what I am used to.
Thank you so much for your recipes!!
Than you so much Arleen! It’s my pleasure. <3
I made this with the peanut chocolate frosting. It was delicious! I couldn’t find my round pans, so I poured all the batter into a 9×13 and it took about 25 minutes to bake. My husband said it is the best cake I’ve made that’s on plan (and we’ve tried a lot). He also commented about how moist it was.
Yay!! So glad to hear it!
This looks so good Chrissy! I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you sweetie
A very similar recipe from the back of a certain brand of cocoa’s container has been my family’s favorite chocolate cake for many years. It is the most fudgey, delicious chocolate cake ever. I’ve made it so many times I almost have the recipe memorized. Today I made your version for my THM birthday cake. I don’t know if I can wait till tomorrow to try it. The cake smells heavenly…Thank-you, thank-you for adapting it to THM!
Oh… is it similar?? Hope you enjoy it!
I couldn’t wait until tomorrow, I ate some after it had chilled in the fridge for a few hours. No, I ate a lot. Oh. My. Goodness. You are a genius to have thought of this recipe, it tastes amazing!
Lol, that’s so nice of you to say! Thank you <3
I need to sub the sweetener for coconut sugar? Do you know how much I would need to use?
Coconut sugar measures 1:1 ratio with sugar…. So use the Gentle Sweet measurements. It does have a brown sugar type flavor so you will notice that in the taste.
Thanks so much for an amazing cake recipe!!!! I’m in love 🙂 So are my kids, and they are very THM fussy! Soooo excited about this one!
Oh that’s so great to hear Melinda! I’m so glad you all like it. <3
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This recipe of A++++. It is so moist and the best one I’ve found. I love the Peanut Butter frosting as well.
Awe I love to hear that Etta…I’m so glad you like it <3
Sooo mineral salt? Can i just use sea salt?
I use the cheap Morton’s iodized salt and it turned out just fine. Actually it was amazing. This cake is amazing.
yes you can. 🙂
I made this cake today for the first time. I used a 9×13 pan and baked it for 25 minutes and it came out great. I was a little nervous to try it because I misread the recipe and put in 1/2 stick of butter rather than 1/2 cup of butter. I also forgot the salt. Obviously, I was so excited I couldn’t think straight. I also made the peanut butter cup icing. Genius…sheer genius!!! Just had a piece and it was phenomenal!! Can’t wait for breakfast. Haha! Can you imagine it with a side of bacon … Oh my! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!
That’s so awesome to hear Jackie!!!!! I love that. And what wouldn’t bacon go well with….really??!! lol <3
Does anyone know the carb count for this cake?
THM is all about food freedom, I just don’t carb count at all. There are some nifty programs out there you can enter the ingredients and it will give you the count.
I’m bringing this to thanksgiving. When you store it in the fridge overnight, do you frost it before or after? Or does putting the frosting in the fridge ruin it?
nope it’s good to store in the fridge.
Thank you! I’ve been grain free, sugar free for 4 years, and this is, by far, the best I’ve made! Definitely reminds me of my old stand by recipe from Hershey that was our family favorite. I frosted it with whipped cream/cream cheese, sweetened with confectioner’s Swerve, and added Peppermint extract. It was a terrific birthday cake. I only wish I’d had 8″pans so it stood a bit taller, but otherwise, it was perfect!
I’ve been on THM for a year now, but this was my first time making an on-plan birthday cake. I usually test a recipe before making it for company, but I didn’t have time this time, and tasting the batter I was super nervous about it being sweet enough or having the weird flaxy texture I’ve had in other recipes (the batter is not yummy, y’all!). I threw in some dark chocolate chips out out of my nervousness, put fresh raspberries between the layers and I frosted it with the icing from the Trimtastic Zucchini Cake in the THM cookbook. It came out awesome! Super rich, definitely sweet enough (the chocolate chips were overkill, lol), no weird texture, even my skeptical parents were happy and my 6 & 8yo birthday boys were thrilled. I will *definitely* be making this again.
One suggestion? “Forget” to grease/paper your pans till after you’ve put the batter together. It went from oddly soupy to thick and regular-batter-like in the time it took to prepare the pans, as the coconut and oat fiber absorbed liquid.
This is excellent to hear! Thank you Ally <3
I made this last night & when I went to remove it from the pan, it crumbled into pieces. I’m at a high altitude. Wondering if this was a factor. Any advice?? (I took all the pieces and pressed them into a glass dish to make a brownie before adding frosting. Wasn’t going to waste it!)
Did you line the pan with parchment paper, and let it cool completely before attempting to remove it?
The cake sounds wonderful and am anxious to make it for a pot luck. Do you think I could make the cake in advance and just freeze it. Guess I would frost it later. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Yes I think you could freeze this successfully. I’m speculating as I haven’t done that yet. I’d say give it a go. I agree I would frost later.
Thanks Chrissy.
You’re so welcome darling. <3
What can I say….you are a genius. A beautiful, wonderful genius. I’ve tried tons of cakes and nothing has passed my finicky pallet. In fact, I almost didn’t make it because I was sure it sucked like the rest. I’m eating crow. No, I’m eating delightful cake. Lol. Seriously 5 stars. Thank you!
Lol!!! I love this so much! Thank you to the moon and back!
Anyway Incan put in a different flour than almond andnit turn out just as amazing? I am allergic to all nuts/tree nuts. Thanks
There are several flour blends floating around that are nut free. Give any THM compliant one a go.
Love this cake. It is by far the best no sugar, low carb cake that I have since being on THM (1 Year). Only thing is I would like a recipe for a good chocolate frosting. I’m not a big fan of peanut butter.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter with this? I made it with salted and was absolutely delicious (even non THM husband approved ) but tasted slightly too salty. Or maybe I was too heavy handed with the baking soda?!
I use Salted butter. You can always try cutting the salt back a bit to avoid that. <3
How thick/thin should the batter be? Mine seemed more thin than I’m used to.
Thanks!
This batter can seem a bit thin upon at first, but thickens quickly with those thirsty flours in the blend
Made this for a potluck and it was pretty good. If you are using a dark cocoa I would recommend cutting it back to 2/3 Cup. I also used Bulk Barn’s erythritol and monk fruit blend for the sweetener which did the trick!
A friend recommended this to me a couple months ago. I made the batter into cupcakes, baked and froze them. Anytime I want cake I have it. Yum. So good.
I Love this cake in cupcake form….such a great grab and go snack option. Thanks for the feedback Bobbi.
I really wanted some chocolate today but I did not want to blow it on something sugary. I made this recipe and it was EXACTLY what I wanted! I couldn’t help but eat dessert before dinner. Thank you!
It came out more fudgey, any recommendations on how to make it more cakey? Spongey?
If I use pure monk fruit for the sweetener, do you know how much I would use?
I love this cake and have made it many times! I’ve always used Briana Thomas baking mix. I use a tad over a cup and a quarter and it turns out great! I also increase the sweetener by around 3/8c. I don’t use a Stevia blend only erythritol and xylitol in it so it takes a little extra. WeWow. We love it with Briana Thomas pipeable whipped icing. It tastes like a Debbie cake. 🙂
WOW! I had seen posts raving about how good this cake was on the THM Facebook page. I was treating some friends to afternoon dessert yesterday & decided to make it. This cake is AMAZING. I did cup cakes & had one just now (after it sat in the refrigerator all night). You weren’t kidding when you said it’s better the second day. When I was miserably pregnant with my first daughter (Meat, except fish, sent me to the bathroom hurling, so I rarely felt satisfied.), for previously stated reasons, I was always hungry & I ate a lot of peanut butter for protein. There was a little cafe (Cafe 119 in Manlius, NY) within walking distance of my job, and I used to slip off down there on Friday’s for lunch & have their completely amazing (and expensive) chocolate peanut butter cake for dessert. It was a terribly expensive lunch, but they always had fried haddock, the only meat I could eat, on Friday’s, and so, I was full once a week. This cake is that Cafe 119 cake, THM style. Thank you for the moment of nostalgia. lol!
This is just the best comment!!! Thanks lady, I’m so glad you loved my cake.
I amde T.J.’s Tastes baking mix and had leftover so used it for this and it also turned out great!
Can’t wait to try this. Can I use aluminum free baking powder? I read I can use 9×13 Pam for 25 minutes, I’m in!
yes of course.
very yummy! I made it with half dark cocoa and half regular, and used a regular homemade whipped cream. Delish! (My cupcakes all had a big dip in the middle and it was hard for me to tell when I should take them out of the oven.) Thanks, Chrissy!
This is divine! But mine is not pretty like yours. LOL! My icing is watery but I. Don’t. Care. I’m still eating every last delicious bite! I realize this is a silly question but I am no baker and I’m terrible in the kitchen… Is this supposed to be refrigerated?
I like this cake better when its been refrigerated…..it gets even more fudgier!
This is the best cake ever
Even better than any regular cake I have ever had
I did a vanilla frosting and then topped that with a chocolate version and it taste like a hostess hoho with vanilla filling
Better actually
And the longer it sets it just gets better
My husband ate almost the entire cake
I made this cake this past weekend for my hubby’s birthday, I’m estatic to say it was AMAZING! I followed the recipe to the letter and changed nothing, perfection. I wouls say making it the day before made it even better, so fudgy and decadent, my new favourite chocolate cake EVER! Thank you so much for this recipe, btw I made it with the chocolate peanut butter cup frosting
I tried the cake using Nili baking blend and strong coffee. Suffice it to say that I think more sweetener might have helped take away the bitterness. Easy to make, moist, but bitter. I will try again, eliminating coffee.
Most times the bitterness comes from the type of cocoa you use. Switching that up makes a world of difference
Love love love this recipe. Changed the frosting by leaving out the chocolate and adding some cream cheese and heavy whipping cream. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
thank you Kathy!!!! You’re so wonderful to say, love the tweaks you made as well.
For the last year & a half I’ve been trying low-carb, gluten-free cake recipes and this is only the 2nd one that I really like and would make again. I’ve thrown away dozens of cakes! Thank you so much!
Thank you Jetta! I’m so happy to hear that….there’s nothing worse then throwing out costly ingredients.
I love this cake! i made it last week and used it as the base for a swiss roll. Just mushed the cooled cake together then rolled it out between to pieces of parchment paper… because its so moist it worked amazing. i spread on the peanut butter cup frosting then rolled it up. it was soo good!!! But now i need a white cake (or lemon would be awesome too) recipe because i really want to make a strawberry and also a lemon version of the swiss roll. any links??? i have scoured the internet and cannot find one 🙁
Brilliant idea!!! I’m sure there’s a luscious healthy lemon cake out here somewhere….check keto sites too.
This does not work with almond flour and brown sugar. It was very liquidy and would not stiffen up while baking.
That makes sense…. Almond milk isn’t thirsty like the baking blends, so it wouldn’t thicken as well.
I made this cake for dessert for our sabbath meal. WOW is all I can say! It was amazing, moist, and beyond delicious! I took it with us to a friends to share not knowing how it taste. I thought I’d use my friends as my Guinea pigs for tasting it. It was a hit!!!!
Yay!!!! I love hearing that Jamie!!! So thrilled you liked it.