Chocolate makes a perfect Valentine's Day dessert like this chocolate fudge cake for two. Rich, moist, and decadent this is a simple, easy recipe that takes no time at all.

Can you believe that half of January is almost over? I feel like it was just Christmas and we were waiting for new years! This year seems like it's got wheels.
Well, it's going to be Valentine's Day soon and I knew I had to share this chocolate fudge cake with you. The truth is we make it often during the year when the kids want a little chocolate indulgence. This is the baby of my chocolate layer fudge cake with chocolate buttercream and chocolate ganache.
Table of Content
Why make this cake
- The recipe is very simple, easy, and fudgy. Made with real chocolate and sour cream this is moist and indulgent.
- It is a rich but dense cake similar to a brownie.
- The recipe is a small batch for just you and your valentine. But you can make a larger fudge layer cake too.
- Most of the ingredients in this recipe are simple pantry staples.
- Since this is a small cake for Valentine's Day I am using Bailey's Irish cream in the frosting as well as moistening the cake.

Ingredients and substitutes
- Butter - Use rich unsalted butter
- Chocolate - This is the real deal in this cake so make sure to use good-quality chocolate. Chocolate that you like to eat, no baking chocolate, candy melts, etc.
- Heavy cream - use no less than 32 % fat. I am using 38% fat today.
- Brown Sugar - The brown sugar gives it that fudge taste. If you can't find brown sugar, you can use white sugar with 1 teaspoon of molasses in the recipe.
- Egg - we've used only the yolk because we need just that amount. However, if you double the recipe use one whole egg instead of two yolks.

Chocolate fudge cake
- Oven - Preheat oven at 325 °F/ 165 °C / Gas Mark 3
- Pan - Grease and dust with flour a 6-inch heart cake.

- Dry ingredients - In a bowl, combine the flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt – set aside
- Melt - In another microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and butter until melted. Add the sugar, egg, and sour cream, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Combine - Add the sugar, egg, and sour cream, followed by the vanilla extract. Then, add the flour mixture and combine well.
- Bake - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for just 15 mins until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool - When done cool completely before frosting.

Assemble
- Frosting - In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate, butter, and heavy cream until smooth. Leave to set until peanut butter consistency. Then, add the baileys and combine until smooth.
- Torte - Cut the dome off the cake and moisten it with more baileys or sugar syrup.
- Frost - Place the cake on a cake board and spread the chocolate frosting all over the cake. Use a warm spatula to create a smooth surface.
- Pipe - Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe all around the cake.
- Garnish with chocolate curls.

Tips for Success
- Use good quality chocolate. It does not have to be expensive. You can even use a chocolate bar that you love to eat.
- Use full-fat butter, not margarine, and high-fat whipping cream for the best flavor.
- Combine the sugar so it is almost dissolved in the mixture.
- Bake until the cake is just set but do not overbake. It is better to underbake than overbake this cake similar to brownies.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt on the chocolate.
- If you want to make the cake non-alcoholic, substitute the baileys with heavy cream.

This cake will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. However, the chilled cake will be firm, not soft, and moist in the center. You can warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Cocoa powder makes a wonderful chocolate cake but this recipe works best with real chocolate. I do have plenty of chocolate cake recipes that use cocoa powder such as moist chocolate cake, one-bowl chocolate cake, classic chocolate cake, death by chocolate cake
Printable Recipe
Valentine Chocolate Fudge Cake For Two
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Cake
- ⅓ cup All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Chocolate
- ⅓ cup Unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- ⅓ cup Sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Frosting
- ½ cup Chocolate (dark, semi-sweet, milk )
- ¼ cup Butter
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish cream
Plus
- 2 tablespoon Bailey's Irish cream
- 5 Chocolate curls
Instructions
- Oven - Preheat oven at 325 °F/ 165 °C / Gas Mark 3
- Pan - Grease and dust with flour a 6-inch heart cake.
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl, combine the flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt – set aside⅓ cup All-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon Baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon Baking Soda, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- Melt - In another microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and butter until melted. Add the sugar, egg, and sour cream, followed by the vanilla extract.⅓ cup Chocolate, ⅓ cup Unsalted butter
- Combine - Add the sugar, egg, and sour cream, followed by the vanilla extract. Then, add the flour mixture and combine well.⅓ cup Sugar, 1 large Egg, ⅓ cup Sour cream, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Bake - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for just 15 mins until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool - When done cool completely before frosting.
Assemble -
- Frosting - In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate, butter, and heavy cream until smooth. Leave to set until peanut butter consistency. Then, add the baileys and combine until smooth.½ cup Chocolate, ¼ cup Butter, ½ cup Heavy cream, ¼ cup Baileys Irish cream
- Torte - Cut the dome off the cake and moisten it with more baileys or sugar syrup.2 tablespoon Bailey's Irish cream
- Frost - Place the cake on a cake board and spread the chocolate frosting all over the cake. Use a warm spatula to create a smooth surface.
- Pipe - Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe all around the cake.
- Garnish with chocolate curls.5 Chocolate curls
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Use good quality chocolate. It does not have to be expensive. You can even use a chocolate bar that you love to eat.
- Use full-fat butter, not margarine, and high-fat whipping cream for the best flavor.
- Combine the sugar so it is almost dissolved in the mixture.
- Bake until the cake is just set but do not overbake. It is better to underbake than overbake this cake similar to brownies.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt on the chocolate.
- If you want to make the cake non-alcoholic, substitute the baileys with heavy cream.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Paula Montenegro
This recipe solves my problem of making a great chocolate cake without having a lot of leftovers! Love this recipe!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely, Paula. You must try it.