This moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting is a dark chocolate cake covered in a mix of chocolate cream cheese icing and vanilla cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect balance of flavors for this fudgy cake and will leave you going back for bite after bite.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy chocolate cake - this dark chocolate cake is made in only two bowls, and doesn't require any sort of mixer. It gets baked and immediately frozen, making it a great make-ahead option as the layers can be stored in the freezer for up to one month.
Two types of frosting - the triple layer chocolate cake gets covered with both vanilla and chocolate cream cheese frosting. It becomes such a delicious balance of flavors and makes for a great marbled design covering the cake.
Fudgy and moist cake - this is the ultimate chocolate cake. It has perfect chocolate flavor, and paired with the cream cheese frosting, it stays moist and fudgy for days.
This cake uses a version of my favorite chocolate cake base, which is found in:
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Ingredients
- Cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is used in this recipe and can be found as Hershey's special dark cocoa in most grocery stores. I do not recommend substituting natural cocoa powder.
- Coffee. This will be piping hot and helps to activate the cocoa powder. Hot water can also be used.
- Leavening agents. Both baking soda and baking powder are used.
- Eggs.
- Buttermilk. Sour cream or greek yogurt can also be used.
- Fats. Unsalted butter and vegetable oil make this chocolate cake ultra moist.
- Sugars. Granulated sugar for the cake and powdered sugar for the cream cheese frosting.
- Cream cheese. Full-fat Philadelphia brand cream cheese should be used, as it has the best flavor and texture. Use the brick versions, not the kind from the tub.
- Chocolate. Semi-sweet chocolate (60-70% cacao) gets melted and folded into half of the cream cheese frosting.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
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Substitutions
- Use sour cream or greek yogurt (both full fat) in place of buttermilk.
- Canola oil or any neutral oil can be used in place of vegetable oil.
- Use black cocoa powder instead of dutch-processed cocoa for an Oreo-flavored cake.
- Use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-1 Flour Blend to make this a gluten-free chocolate cake.
Variations
- Omit the melted chocolate to cover the cake solely in vanilla cream cheese frosting.
- Add 6-8oz melted semi-sweet chocolate to make the full batch of chocolate cream cheese icing.
- Fill the layers with chocolate ganache, halving the ganache portion of my triple chocolate layer cake.
- Add fresh strawberries or raspberries in between the cake layers.
- Add cherry pie filling in between the cake layers.
- Fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter for extra chocolate flavor.
Cake Pan Options
- Use two, 8" cake pans and bake the cake for 30-35 minutes. Each cake can then be split in half to make a 4 layer cake.
- Use a 9x13" pan and bake the cake for 25-35 minutes. Halve the frosting recipe if choosing this method.
How to Make This Recipe
The chocolate cake will need time to be baked and frozen prior to assembly, so allow at least one hour after bake time before starting to assemble.
Making Dark Chocolate Cake
One: Whisk together the sugar and dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Two: Whisk together the wet ingredients, including the melted butter.
Three: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients (be sure the bowl is large enough)
Four: Use a rubber spatula to mix together the batter until fully combined.
Five: Pour hot coffee into the cake batter, then carefully mix to fully combine.
Six: Separate the batter evenly into three parchment-lined cake pans. Bake, cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and remove the parchment paper.
Hot tip! Wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for at least one hour.
Frosting and Assembling the Chocolate Cake
One: Beat together the butter and powdered sugar until flight and fluffy, then add the vanilla and softened cream cheese.
Two: Beat until very fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom halfway through.
Three: Remove ⅓ of the frosting into another bowl, add the melted chocolate, and mix to combine.
Four: Add one layer of cake to a serving stand and spread the chocolate frosting on top to meet the edges. Enough so there's about a 1cm layer.
Hot tip! Use a serrated knife to remove any domed tops from the cakes so they all have a very even surface for stacking.
Five: Add the second layer of cake, then add the same amount of vanilla cream cheese frosting, and top with the final cake layer.
Six: Add vanilla icing to the top of the cake, working it down the sides. until there's a thin layer completely covering the cake. Refrigerate the cake for about 15 minutes to set the frosting.
Seven: Add dollops of chocolate frosting all over in random areas.
Eight: Spread the frosting into an even layer. It's ok if any vanilla areas show through.
Nine: Add dollops of vanilla frosting all over in random areas, then spread it evenly again.
Ten: Pipe any leftover frosting onto the tip of the cake in a desired pattern.
Hot tip! Add the leftover chocolate and vanilla frostings onto a piece of plastic wrap right next to each other in a line. Roll it up, then place it in a piping bag with a piping tip and decorate the top of the cake with dollops or coils. This creates a swirled effect.
Expert Tips
- Be sure all dairy ingredients are at full room temperature prior to beginning. This goes for the cake ingredients, and especially the cream cheese and frosting ingredients.
- If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream or milk at a time to thin it out.
- If the cream cheese frosting is too thin, add the bowl to the fridge for 30 minutes and re-mix. If it's still too thin, add ¼ cup (30g) of powdered sugar and mix.
Make Ahead Options
- Make the cake layers in advance. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and place in a zip top bag. Freeze for up to three months.
- Make the frosting, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one month. Re-whip before using.
- Freeze the frosting in an airtight container for two months. Thaw at room temperature, then re-whip.
- Fully assemble the cake, cover it tightly with plastic wrap so no air can get in, then freeze for up to two months. Unwrap completely and thaw at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs
Hot coffee is used to activate the cocoa powder, and coffee is said to bring out the flavor of chocolate but doesn't actually add any coffee flavor. You can use hot water in place of coffee if you don't want to use it.
If this happens, it may be because your cream cheese or butter was too soft, or too much liquid was added. Add the bowl of frosting to the fridge for about 30 minutes, then remix. If it's still too thin, add ¼ cup of powdered sugar and re-mix, continuing that process until a spreadable consistency is formed.
Storage
Store the cake at room temperature for one day. Then, store the cake or slices tightly covered in the fridge for up to four days. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before enjoying so the frosting can re-soften.
Freezing the Cake
Wrap the cake or slices tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and place into a zip-top bag, removing all air. Freeze for up to two months. Unwrap completely, then thaw at room temperature until the chill is gone.
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📖Recipe
Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
- 3 6" cake pans
- Parchment paper cake rounds
- Cake scraper
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- ¾ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder 75g
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil 4 fl oz
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted 113g
- 1 cup buttermilk 8 fl oz
- 1 cup very hot coffee or water 8 fl oz
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (170g)
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar 270g
- 16 oz full-fat cream cheese room temperature (two bricks)
- ½ tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped and melted
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃. Grease and parchment line three 6-inch round cake pans and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, butter and buttermilk until smooth, then add to the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.3 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup unsalted butter melted, 1 cup buttermilk
- Add in the hot coffee and mix until fully combined, careful not to over mix (or slosh it over the sides).1 cup very hot coffee or water
- Divide the batter evenly between the three 6” pans and bake on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove, wrap entirely in plastic wrap, and freeze for 1-2 hours. Store the cake layers top side down, bottom side up.
Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixture), cream together the butter and powdered sugar on medium high speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the beater and sides at the halfway mark.¾ cup unsalted butter, 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- Add the softened cream cheese and vanilla and mix on low to combine, then increase the speed to medium and beat for another two minutes.16 oz full-fat cream cheese, ½ tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- Add the chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between each, until completely melted. Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Remove ½ of the cream cheese frosting and mix in the chocolate by hand.4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
Assembly
- Unwrap the cake layers. Use a serrated knife to remove any mounded cake tops so it's an even layer.
- Add a quarter-sized dollop of frosting to the center of the cake stand or serving platter, then place on cake layer on top.
- Note: add strips of parchment paper in between the bottom of the cake and cake stand to protect the cake stand while decorating.
- Add two large dollops of vanilla frosting on top of the cake layer, and spread it to the edges.
- Add the second cake layer and repeat with the chocolate frosting.
- Add the third cake layer then add 3-4 large dollops of vanilla frosting on top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to work the frosting down the sides to completely cover the cake. It will be a relatively thin layer.
- Add swipes of chocolate frosting to the top and sides, then use the offset spatula or cake scraper to smooth out the sides, tops, and edges.
- Add additional swipes of vanilla frosting to the top and sides, spreading smooth again.
- If desired, transfer any remaining frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip and pipe decorations onto the top.
Notes
- Be sure all dairy ingredients are at full room temperature prior to beginning. This goes for the cake ingredients, and especially the cream cheese and frosting ingredients.
- If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream or milk at a time to thin it out.
- If the cream cheese frosting is too thin, add the bowl to the fridge for 30 minutes and re-mix. If it's still too thin, add ¼c of powdered sugar and mix.
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