Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting is a dark chocolate cake covered in a mix of chocolate cream cheese icing as well as 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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Chill & Assembly4

Total Time5 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 677kcal

Author: Callan Wenner

Equipment

Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
3 6" cake pans
Parchment paper cake rounds
Offset spatula
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

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.

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 ¼c of powdered sugar and mix.

Use the brick-style Philadelphia brand cream cheese for best results.

Nutrition