If you are a serious chocolate lover, you are going to want to save this Linda’s Fudge Cake recipe. Inspired by the famous Cheesecake Factory dessert, this homemade chocolate cake is made with rich chocolate cake layers, creamy fudge frosting, and plenty of chocolate flavor in every bite.
This is the kind of cake that feels like a special occasion dessert, but you can make it right in your own kitchen. It has that tall, layered look you expect from a restaurant dessert, with soft chocolate cake and a thick, fudgy frosting between every layer.
This copycat cake has also been popping up on TikTok, with home bakers recreating the famous dessert and putting their own spin on it.
You might also like this copycat recipe for Cheesecake Factory Cajun Salmon!
For more cake recipes try this - Black Bean Chocolate Cake
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Why This Works
What makes Linda's Fudge Cake so good is that it is all about the chocolate. Instead of pairing a light cake with a thin frosting, this dessert goes big with rich chocolate cake and creamy fudge frosting.
I also love that this cake doesn't need a bunch of fancy decorating. The chocolate frosting does all the work. A simple, smooth finish gives it that classic Cheesecake Factory look.
Ingredients Needed
- All-purpose flour: This forms the base of the chocolate cake and gives the layers enough structure to stack.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Cocoa powder gives the cake its deep chocolate flavor. Use a good-quality cocoa powder for the best flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar sweetens the cake and helps keep the layers tender.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds extra moisture and a deeper caramel-like flavor that works beautifully with chocolate.
- Baking soda and baking powder: These help the cake rise and keep it light enough to balance the rich frosting.
- Salt: A little salt brings out the chocolate flavor and keeps the cake from tasting overly sweet.
- Eggs: Eggs give the cake structure and help create a soft, tender crumb.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and a slight tang that makes chocolate cake taste even richer.
- Vegetable oil: Oil keeps the cake incredibly moist, even after refrigeration.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Butter: Butter creates the rich base for the homemade fudge frosting.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: More cocoa powder gives the frosting its deep chocolate flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Heavy cream or milk: This helps create a smooth, spreadable frosting.
- Vanilla extract: Just a little vanilla makes the chocolate frosting taste even better.
How to Make Linda's Fudge Cake
Start by making the chocolate cake. Preheat your oven and prepare two round cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. The batter will be fairly thin, and that's exactly what you want.
Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for several minutes before turning them onto a cooling rack. Make sure they are completely cool before frosting.
While the cakes cool, make the fudge frosting. Beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar gradually, mixing between additions. Add the vanilla and enough heavy cream or milk to create a smooth, spreadable frosting.
Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of fudge frosting over the top. Add the second cake layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
Use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting around the cake. Refrigerate before slicing so the layers and frosting have time to set.
Pro Tips for Linda's Fudge Cake
For a 4-layer cake, Bake two 8-inch or 9-inch round cakes. Let them cool completely. Chill them briefly to make cutting easier. Use a long serrated knife to slice each cake horizontally in half.
Stack with frosting between each layer.
For a 6 layer fudge cake, bake 3 round cakes. Let them cool and slice them in half with a serrated knife before frosting.
Make sure your butter is softened before making the frosting. Cold butter can leave you with a lumpy frosting.
Let the cake cool completely before assembling it. Even slightly warm cake can cause the frosting to melt
Storage
Store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.
Because this cake is so rich and moist, it actually tastes even better after it has chilled for several hours. Let a slice sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes before eating for the best texture.
You can also freeze individual slices. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions
This cake is rich enough to stand on its own, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream takes it over the top.
You can also serve it with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, chocolate shavings, or fresh strawberries.
For the ultimate Cheesecake Factory-inspired dessert, serve a big slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. In fact, making it the day before is a great idea. The cake has time to chill and the flavors come together beautifully.
Yes. You can make a simple buttermilk substitute by adding a little lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for about 5 minutes.
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Cheesecake Factory Linda's Fudge Cake
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 1 hr
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Fudge Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Start by making the chocolate cake. Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare two round cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Divide the batter between the prepared 8 in round cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for several minutes before turning them onto a cooling rack. Make sure they are completely cool before frosting.
- While the cakes cool, make the fudge frosting. Beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar gradually, mixing between additions. Add the vanilla and enough heavy cream or milk to create a smooth, spreadable frosting.
- Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of fudge frosting over the top. Add the second cake layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
- Use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting around the cake. Refrigerate before slicing so the layers and frosting have time to set.
Notes
If you want a 4-layer cake, you will have to slice each round in 2 equal portions when they have cooled completely.
See the tips above the recipe for making a 6 layer cake.
Jenna says
I udpated the recipe.
Morgan says
Hello! You show brown sugar in the photos and instructions but there is no brown sugar in the ingredients list. Also what sized pans do you use?
Sheila says
How many pans are used or how many layers is the cake?
Jenna says
Its cocoa powder, updated the recipe. Thanks.
BJS says
The recipe ingredients include chocolate chips for the frosting, but the frosting instructions refer to cocoa powder. Which one is correct?