This moist chocolate cake is topped with a tangy chocolate cream cheese frosting - a match made in heaven! This chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting makes the perfect birthday cake or celebration cake. The perfect cake for a chocolate lover (which is me!)
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The chocolate cake layer in this recipe is the same one as in my Nutella filled cake, chocolate walnut cake and Matilda's chocolate cake. This is an extra moist dark chocolate cake, and thanks to the oil base it has a super moist crumb!
The decadent cream cheese frosting doesn't use butter or confectioners' sugar, instead it has a whipped cream base which I think makes it taste so light and fluffy!
If you're looking for more special occasion cakes, you have to try my chocolate coffee cake, red velvet cake with chocolate chips, chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, or vanilla cake with chocolate frosting!
Chocolate Cake + Cream Cheese Frosting =❤️
- Simple Cake - this is a really simple oil based cake that is made with buttermilk, making it extra moist!
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting - this frosting has a whipped cream base instead of being made with butter, making it extra light and creamy. Cocoa powder is then added to give us that chocolate flavor.
- So Quick! It only takes 20 minutes to make this recipe, though you will need to let the cake layers cool completely before frosting.
- Make Ahead - you can make the cake layers ahead of time, keeping them tightly wrapped in plastic wrap up to 2 days beforehand.
Grab your ingredients!
Flour: I have only tested this recipe with all purpose flour and not gluten free flour.
Oil: use a neutral flavored oil like canola oil or vegetable oil. I don't recommend using coconut oil or olive oil as that might impact the taste.
Cocoa Powder: I tested this recipe with dutch processed cocoa powder. Not sure if your cocoa powder is natural or dutch processed? Check the ingredient list! If it means alkali or acidity regulators then it is dutch processed.
Eggs: this recipe has been tested with large eggs.
Cream Cheese: I tested this frosting with Philadelphia Cream Cheese, make sure you use the full fat version! If you're based in Europe and your cream cheese comes in tubs instead of packets, pat down the cream cheese with a paper towel before adding to the frosting. Cream cheese in Europe has a higher moisture content!
Heavy Cream: Make sure your cream cheese is cold! Otherwise, it will not whip up properly.
Let's make this recipe!
Step One: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment. You can also use a large mixing bowl and whisk.
Step Two: In a large jug, whisk together your eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
Step Three: With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Slowly pour in your hot water, be careful as there is a lot of batter and it is very liquidy!
Step Four: Pour the batter into your two 8-inch greased and lined cake pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit/175 degrees Celsius for 35-40 minutes. Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes before removing them and letting them cool completely on a wire rack.
Step Five: In a chilled mixing bowl in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the heavy cream, salt, sugar and vanilla extract on low speed for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
Step Six: Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes, it should start to look like Greek yogurt.
Step Seven: With the mixer on low speed, add the cream cheese a tablespoon at a time. Once it is all added, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer back on and beat on high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step Six: Add the cocoa powder and beat for another minute. Make sure to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl so it all gets mixed! Frost your cake.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use a weighing scale - I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake! You can even buy a kitchen scale for less than ten bucks!
- Room Temperature ingredients - Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking the cake. For the frosting, however, you want the cream cheese and heavy cream to be cold!
- Chill the mixing bowl overnight - to help the cream cheese firm up, place your mixing bowl in the fridge the night before.
- Different Frostings - Not a chocolate cream cheese fan? I got you. Swap it out for my cream cheese frosting without butter, it uses the same base but no cocoa powder!
Storage
Keep the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. Place strips of parchment paper on any exposed cake edges to stop it from drying out. You can also freeze cake slices, just let it defrost in the fridge overnight.
Try these chocolate recipes next!
Made This Recipe?
Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 2 8" round cake pans
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- ¾ cup (65 grams) cocoa powder dutch processed
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) kosher salt
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoons) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cups (240 ml) very hot water
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup (150 grams) white sugar
- 1 cup (210 ml) heavy cream cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 oz (339 grams) cream cheese cold
- ¾ cup (65 grams) cocoa powder
Instructions
Make Cake
- Before starting, place your mixing bowl in the fridge overnight (or at least one hour) for your frosting.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Butter or grease two 8 inch baking pans and line it with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment. Set aside¾ cup (65 grams) cocoa powder, 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar, 2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoons) baking soda, 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder, ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) kosher salt
- In a large jug, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.2 large eggs, 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- While the mixer is on low speed, slowly pour in the ingredients from the large jug
- While the mixer is still running, slowly add the hot water and mix. Your batter will be very thin. Make sure the mixer is on your lowest speed so it doesn't splash everywhere1 cups (240 ml) very hot water
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted
- Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
Make Frosting
- In your chilled mixing bowl in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat your heavy cream, salt, sugar and vanilla extract on low speed for 2 minutes. The sugar should dissolve by then.¾ cup (150 grams) white sugar, 1 cup (210 ml) heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Turn the speed to high for 2-3 minutes until thick and resembles Greek yogurt.
- With the mixer on your lowest speed, add the cream cheese a tablespoon at a time. Once it is all added, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Start the mixer again and beat on high speed for 3 minutes until thick. Add in the cocoa powder and beat again for 1 minute.12 oz (339 grams) cream cheese, ¾ cup (65 grams) cocoa powder
Assembly
- Place one cooled cake layer down and top with half of the frosting. Place the other cake layer on top, and top that with the remaining frosting. Use an offset spatula to cover the sides of the cake with frosting, then use a large spoon to create swoops and swirl. Add sprinkles or chocolate shavings to the top.
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Ksenija says
Hi hi! Stumbled on this recipe 3 years later, or maybe more, it looks delicious!! Quick question, can I use natural cocoa powder as i cannot find any dutch processed one? Thank you, let you know how it turns out.
Ella Gilbert says
Hello! So I haven't tested it, but it should work. Also if you can't find dutch processed cocoa powder, check the ingredients label. Turns out my grocery store did have it, it just wasn't labelled as 'dutch processed'. If the ingredients mention any alkali or acidity regulators, you have dutch-processed cocoa powder!
Faz says
Hi, if I want to make this in 2 x 10 inch cake tins, do I just times this recipe by 1.5? Many thanks 😊
Ella says
Hi! Yes, you should be able to times it by 1.5x, I would maybe check on it in the oven as it might need less time to bake!
Natalie says
Hey could I use melted butted instead of oil? Thanks in advance
Ella says
Hi Natalie, you could swap it out for an equal amount of melted butter but the cake will be drier and the texture might be more dense.
Autumn Knight says
Can you use a 9” pan instead of 8”?
Ella says
Yes you can, just note that the cake layers will be thinner and will need less time in the oven!
Jen says
Hello! Can I make this icing the night before and ice it the next day? I just took the cakes out of the oven and am excited to let you know how it is! Looks delicious.
Ella says
Hi there! Yes you can, you might need to whip it up again if it isn't the right consistency though.
Mélanie says
Wonderful cake from start to finish.
Basic ingredients which are either pantry/fridge staples or easily found in supermarkets.
The frosting is wonderful (I am a huge Cream Cheese fiend) especially without the icing sugar - which would remind me too much of buttercream which I don't like much. Tangy, creamy, velvety frosting, absolutely yummy. Leftover frosting eaten with Greek Yoghurt and homemade blueberry jam. (We don't count calories here!). Oh my God, wonderful!
Recipe is easy to execute.
This was a perfect birthday cake for my 6 year old son, a big chocolate fan! Everyone enjoyed it, even the chocolate haters.
Thank you for sharing.
Lisa says
Can you make cupcakes out of this recipe?
Ella says
I haven't tried making cupcakes with this recipe but my cupcake recipe here is very similar! You can just sub out the frosting for the cream cheese frosting.
Lakeesha says
Hi can you use a hand mixer
Ella says
Yes you can!
Casey says
Easy and delicious! Super moist, plush crumb. Exactly what I was craving 😋
Ella says
Thank you so much for your review! 🙂
Amanda says
Question: do you used the same cocoa powder in the frosting as the cake? Or should it be Unsweetened cocoa powder? Making this for my mom's birthday next weekend, and I just want to be sure.
Ella says
For the frosting you can use either unsweetened natural cocoa powder or dutch process, I used dutch process here!