Dense 6-inch Spelt Chocolate Fudge Cake
This dense 6-inch chocolate fudge cake is a rich, one layer chocolate delight, perfectly sized for a smaller gathering. Combining smooth melted milk chocolate with deep cocoa and a touch of instant coffee for an extra chocolate boost, this cake is moist, dense, and utterly indulgent.
Topped with a glossy old-fashioned chocolate fudge icing, it’s the perfect treat to satisfy any chocolate craving, whether for a cozy afternoon or a special celebration.
The birthday cake my son really wanted: a fudgy chocolate treat
Every birthday, it’s my job to get the cake baked. And it was no different for my son’s recent 18th birthday. I wanted to make him something special, so quizzed him for a while about what kind of cake he wanted. But he was surprisingly noncommittal; he didn’t want anything over the top like a chocolate overload cake or princess cake.
At first, I suggested a layered chocolate fudge cake, since it’s one of his favourites. But even that didn’t quite hit the mark for him this time. Instead, he gave me a simple description: “thin, fudgy, and almost like a brownie.” It was a clear challenge, but one I was excited to take on. I wanted to create a cake that was rich and indulgent, with that dense, moist texture that chocolate lovers crave. Not too heavy, but definitely packed with flavour and that wonderful fudgy bite that keeps you coming back for more.
Getting the texture just right, somewhere between a traditional cake and a brownie, was key to making a birthday cake perfect for him.
Baking with 6-inch cake tins
I often bake cakes in 6-inch tins because, frankly, my kids don’t always love the cakes I make. They won’t eat fruit in cakes, and the mere thought of cream cheese frosting leaves them cold. So, I don’t want to end up with a huge cake that goes mostly uneaten.
Using a smaller tin means I can nip a slice, and then freeze the rest. But a 6-inch cake pan is also great for smaller gatherings, as it serves just 4 to 6 people, which is ideal for when you don’t want to go over the top on a cake.
Another great thing about baking smaller cakes is that it lets me experiment with new recipes without committing to a big batch. If a recipe needs tweaking or if I want to try a different flavour, a 6-inch tin is less risky and more manageable. Plus, it’s quicker to bake, so I can enjoy the results sooner. Always look for the perks, I say.
From a texture perspective, the 6-inch size also works wonders. Because the tin is narrower and deeper than standard sizes like 8 or 9 inches, the cake bakes thicker and fudgier. This depth is exactly what this recipe needed to turn out how my son wanted: a brownie-like texture, that’s rich and dense with a moist centre. If you want a cake that feels indulgent and decadent without being too large or overwhelming, a 6-inch tin is a fantastic choice.
Ingredients overview: simple to work with
This spelt chocolate fudge cake recipe uses straightforward ingredients that come together beautifully for a rich, indulgent result. One of my favourite things about this recipe is how much easier it is to work with melted butter instead of cold, stiff butter straight from the fridge. I’m always keeping butter chilled, which makes it tricky to cream together with sugar and eggs. But melting the butter first means it mixes smoothly and quickly with the chocolate and sugar, creating a silky, glossy batter without any fuss.
The combination of dark brown sugar adds a subtle caramel note, while the cocoa powder and milk chocolate bring deep chocolate flavour. I also like the small touch of instant coffee dissolved in milk. It does nothing more than enhance the chocolate, and most certainly doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee. As if that would be a bad thing. The white spelt flour keeps the texture light enough to balance the richness without feeling dense or heavy. Oh, and if you stumbled across this recipe after gorging your eyes on the photos, but don’t use spelt, don’t worry. You can use all-purpose (plain) flour instead. No complicated calculations, just a straight swap.
Overall, these simple cupboard staples make for a cake that’s delicious, fudgy, and surprisingly easy to bake.
Making my 6-inch chocolate fudge cake
This 6-inch chocolate fudge cake comes together quickly and easily, with minimal equipment and no complicated steps. You start by gently melting the butter and milk chocolate together. A simple base that leads to a rich, glossy mixture once the sugar and eggs are added.
Separately sifting the dry ingredients keeps the texture light and even, while stirring instant coffee into the milk deepens the chocolate flavour. Folding everything together gives you a thick, smooth batter that bakes up with a soft, fudgy centre and a slightly crisp edge.
Pop the cake in the oven, and once baked, let the cake cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes. It’s quite delicate when warm, so this resting time helps it firm up before turning it out onto a wire rack. From there, cool it completely, and then it’s ready for icing.
Chocolate fudge frosting: rich, glossy, and not too sweet
This old-fashioned chocolate fudge frosting is as simple as it is satisfying. Made in one saucepan, it starts with melting butter and stirring in cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. From there, icing sugar is beaten in. I deliberately used less than a typical fudge frosting. The result? A gloriously rich and fudgy finish that enhances the cake rather than overpowering it.
A splash of milk loosens the texture just enough to make it spreadable, whether you prefer to slather it on while it’s warm for a shiny glaze or let it cool slightly for a thicker, creamier layer. Either way, it adds just the right amount of indulgence without tipping over into sickly sweet territory.
When the frosting goes wrong (and how to fix it)
Even the simplest recipes don’t always go to plan, and this frosting caught me off guard. I’d just taken the pan off the heat and stirred in the icing sugar when the mixture suddenly turned grainy and greasy. The butter had split, and for a moment I thought the whole thing was ruined.
To be honest, this kind of thing has happened to me many times before when making ganache. That frustrating moment when everything looks like it’s going well, and then it just… isn’t. So I’ve learned not to panic.
Here’s what helped in this case:
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I put the pan back on low heat and stirred gently to warm it through. Then I beat it together vigorously.
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After a little patience, the mixture came back together into a glossy, smooth frosting.
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Once it looked right again, I removed it from the heat and carried on with the recipe.
Crisis averted, and the frosting ended up beautifully rich and fudgy in the end.
How to store this spelt chocolate fudge cake
This cake keeps really well, especially if you don’t frost it straight away. I usually store it unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. If it’s already frosted, it’s best kept in the fridge, though you’ll want to bring it to room temperature before serving so the texture softens and the flavours shine through.
The fudgy texture actually improves after a day, becoming even denser and more brownie-like — just how we like it. Spelt cakes freeze amazingly well, and this fudge cake is no exception, even with the frosting. Just slice up any leftovers, individually wrap the slices and pop in the freezer.
Ideas for serving this 6-inch cake
It’s a small cake, but rich enough that a little goes a long way. On its own, it’s deeply satisfying — that rich chocolate flavour doesn’t need much dressing up. But if you’re celebrating something and want to make more of a moment out of it, you could easily add fresh berries, a scoop of ice cream, or even a drizzle of warm ganache or chocolate sauce. A few curls of chocolate or a dusting of cocoa powder wouldn’t go amiss either.
Kärleksmums (Swedish sheet pan cake)
Chocolate cake doughnuts (with dark chocolate ganache)
Blueberry white chocolate mud cake
Almost tiramisu double espresso chocolate cake
6-inch Dense Spelt Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 50g (1¾ oz) milk chocolate (chopped)
- 85g (6 tbsp) butter
- 90g (½ cup) dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 60g (½ cup) white spelt flour (see note 1)
- 25g (¼ cup) cocoa powder
- 30ml (2 tbsp) milk
- ½ tbsp instant coffee (dissolved in the milk)
- pinch salt
Fudge Frosting:
- 100g (7 tbsp) butter
- 40g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder
- 150g (1¼ cups) icing sugar (sifted)
- 2-4 tbsp milk
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320℉). Grease and line a deep 6-inch (18cm) round cake tin with baking paper.
- In a heatproof bowl over simmering water (or in short bursts in the microwave), melt the milk chocolate and butter together. Stir until smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the dark brown sugar.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy.
- Dissolve the instant coffee in the milk, then stir this into the chocolate mixture.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the spelt flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. The batter should be thick and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30–32 minutes, or until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Fudge frosting:
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Stir in the cocoa powder until smooth and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and beat in the icing sugar.
- Add 2 tablespoons of milk and stir until smooth. Add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.
- Use while warm for a glossy finish or allow it to cool slightly if you want a thicker texture.
- Spread over the top of the cake; I made some little swirls with the knife to give it texture, but you could smooth it out.
- Cut into slices (as big as you like) and enjoy with some fresh berries!
Notes
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