KFC Chocolate Cake Copycat Recipe
KFC’s chocolate cake is one of those menu items that sounds almost too simple but lands every time — dense, moist, and covered in a sticky chocolate fudge icing. This copycat version gets you the same thing at home with pantry staples and about an hour of your time.
The cake itself is a straightforward single-layer square, which means no fussing with layers or crumb coats. Just mix, bake, ice, and eat.
Why I Love This Recipe
The icing is what does it. It’s a poured chocolate fudge glaze that sets into a glossy, fudgy shell on top — not a whipped frosting, not a ganache, but something close to both. The texture contrast between the soft crumb and that firm icing is what keeps you going back.
It’s also genuinely easy to pull off. There’s no stand mixer required and no tricky techniques.
The oil-based batter keeps the crumb soft even the next day, which matters when you want to make it ahead.
Recipe Ingredients
- 190g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour – plain white flour works; don’t use self-rising
- 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar – white sugar gives the cleanest crumb
- 50g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder – Dutch-process gives a deeper color and less bitterness
- 1½ tsp baking soda – the main lift; make sure yours is fresh
- ½ tsp baking powder – works with the soda for a level rise
- ½ tsp fine salt – brings out the chocolate flavor
- 2 large eggs – room temperature so they blend without streaking
- 240ml (1 cup) buttermilk – keeps the crumb tender; see swaps below
- 120ml (½ cup) vegetable oil – oil keeps it softer than butter once cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract – rounds out the cocoa
- 240ml (1 cup) hot water – blooms the cocoa and makes the batter looser than expected, which is correct
- 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter – for the icing
- 60g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder – for the icing; keep separate from the cake cocoa
- 180ml (¾ cup) whole milk – for the icing; gives it body
- 360g (3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted – must be sifted to avoid lumps in the icing
- 1 tsp vanilla extract – for the icing, same role as above
Variations / Substitutions
- No buttermilk – Stir 1 tbsp of white vinegar into 240ml regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes; the texture is nearly identical.
- Gluten-free flour – A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend works here; the crumb will be slightly denser but still good.
- Coconut oil instead of vegetable oil – Use refined coconut oil so there is no coconut flavor; the crumb stays just as soft.
- Stronger chocolate flavor – Replace the 240ml hot water with hot brewed coffee; it deepens the cocoa without adding a coffee taste.
- Dairy-free icing – Swap the butter for vegan block butter and the whole milk for oat milk; the icing sets slightly softer but still firms up.
- Extra salt – Finish the iced cake with a light pinch of flaky sea salt on top; it sharpens the chocolate flavor without sweetening it further.
If you like this style of fudge icing, it also works well on the Copycat KFC Chocolate Chip Cake recipe.
How To Make KFC Chocolate Cake
Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) baking pan. Sift the 190g flour, 200g granulated sugar, 50g cocoa powder, 1½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt together into a large bowl. Whisk them briefly so everything is evenly mixed before any wet ingredients go in.
Sifting the cocoa is worth the extra 30 seconds. Cocoa clumps easily and those lumps won’t break down in the batter, so you’d end up with dark specks in the finished cake.
Step 2: Whisk in the Wet Ingredients
Add the 2 eggs, 240ml buttermilk, 120ml vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Whisk until you have a smooth, thick batter with no dry patches, about 1 minute by hand.
Then pour in the 240ml hot water slowly while stirring. The batter will thin out noticeably and look almost too loose. That’s fine — that’s what gives the cake its soft crumb.
Step 3: Bake the Cake
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it level. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Set the cake on a wire rack to cool in the pan. You want it fully cooled before the icing goes on — at least 30 minutes. A warm cake will make the icing absorb into the surface instead of setting on top.
Step 4: Simmer the Chocolate Fudge Icing
While the cake cools, melt the 115g butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the 60g cocoa powder and stir for about 1 minute until the mixture smells toasty and looks like a smooth paste. Pour in the 180ml whole milk and keep stirring over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is hot but not boiling.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the 360g sifted powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract and whisk hard until the icing is smooth and glossy with no lumps. Work quickly — it thickens as it cools.
Step 5: Pour and Spread the Icing
Pour the warm icing over the completely cooled cake, starting in the center and working outward with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Let it run close to the edges. Spread to the corners within about 2 minutes before it starts to set.
Let the iced cake sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes until the icing firms into a fudgy shell. Slice into 12 squares and serve — the icing will be glossy on top with clean edges where you cut.
Recipe Tips
- Use hot water, not warm. Hot water blooms the cocoa in the batter, which gives the cake a deeper brown color and a fuller chocolate flavor. Warm water won’t have the same effect.
- Sift the powdered sugar for the icing. Even one or two unsifted lumps will show up in the finished icing because it sets firm. Take the extra minute.
- Work fast with the icing. Once you whisk in the powdered sugar, you have about 3 to 4 minutes before it thickens enough to drag instead of pour. Have the cake ready and nearby before you start.
- Check your baking soda. Drop a little into hot water — if it doesn’t fizz immediately, it’s too old and your cake won’t rise properly. Fresh baking soda is the most common fix for a flat cake.
Bake times by pan (done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; internal temp around 200°F / 93°C):
| Pan Size | Depth | Bake Time |
|---|---|---|
| 9×13-inch (23x33cm) | Standard | 30 to 35 mins |
| 9-inch (23cm) square | Standard | 35 to 40 mins |
| 8-inch (20cm) square | Deeper | 40 to 45 mins |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer slices to an airtight container. Keeps for up to 4 days. The icing firms up further when cold, which some people actually prefer.
- Reheating – A slice at room temperature for 20 minutes after coming out of the fridge is enough. A quick 10 seconds in the microwave softens both the crumb and the icing if you want it warmer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cake a day ahead?
Yes, and it actually slices better the next day. The icing has fully set and the crumb has had time to settle.
Why is my icing grainy?
Powdered sugar that wasn’t sifted is almost always the cause. Once the icing sets, graininess won’t smooth out, so sifting before you start is the only fix.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Double every ingredient and use two 9×13-inch pans, keeping the bake time the same. Don’t try to bake it all in one deeper pan — the center won’t cook through in a reasonable time.
Can I use a box of chocolate cake mix instead?
You can, though the crumb will be lighter and sweeter than the original KFC style. The fudge icing recipe above works well over any base, so at minimum make the icing from scratch.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch pan. Sift and whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth, then stir in the hot water until a thin batter forms.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the cocoa powder for 1 minute, add the milk and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until hot, then remove from heat and whisk in the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the warm icing over the cooled cake, spread to the edges, and let it set for 20 minutes. Slice into 12 squares and serve.
