Chocolate cream cheese cake is what happens when a rich chocolate layer cake meets a creamy cheesecake filling. The cake bakes up soft and moist thanks to buttermilk and brewed coffee, while pockets of sweet cream cheese and mini chocolate chips run through each layer. It’s finished with a smooth chocolate cream cheese frosting that’s thick, not overly sweet, and perfect for spreading or piping.
The Best Chocolate Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Inside & Out
This Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake brings together the rich, comforting flavors of a classic Southern dessert with a little twist. It’s inspired by the much-loved black bottom cupcakes, blending moist chocolate cake with a creamy swirl of cheesecake filling.
The cake itself is so tender and moist thanks to the buttermilk that it’s almost good enough without frosting, but of course we’re adding frosting!
It’s hard to beat this rich chocolate cream cheese frosting, which adds a decadent layer of smooth, creamy goodness. It’s not too sweet and has a thicker consistency, making it ideal for piping.
The secret ingredient in this cake recipe is the brewed coffee. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the coffee, but it really brings out the deep chocolate flavor, making each bite even more indulgent. The cake is baked until perfectly moist and light, with the cream cheese filling creating little pockets of cheesecake-like richness throughout.
You could top this cake with a fudgy chocolate frosting or a classic cream cheese frosting, but with the cream cheese filling inside, chocolate lovers will appreciate the chocolate cream cheese frosting the most.
Most cream cheese frostings rely on butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar, but this one is completely different. The only sweetness is from the semi-sweet chocolate chips which are melted with evaporated milk instead of cream. This is then added to cream cheese for the most wonderful texture and flavor.
Ingredients for Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake
- Coffee: I use one cup of brewed coffee at room temperature for this recipe. It adds a depth to the chocolate. You can eliminate it and just add a cup of water.
- All the chocolate: Semi-sweet chips are melted and mixed in with the cream cheese and evaporated milk to make the frosting. You could use dark chocolate chips for a more intense flavor. The mini chips are for the cream cheese filling, they add a little texture to the cake. They can also be used to decorate the top. The unsweetened cocoa powder is used in the cake.
- Evaporated milk: Makes the frosting thicker than traditional cream cheese frosting made with powdered sugar.
How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake
Step One: Prepare the Filling
Step Two: Make the Cake Batter
Step Three: Add the Filling
Step Four: Prepare the Frosting
Step Five: Assemble the Cake
Place the second layer on top, bottom-side up, and frost the top and sides.
How to Make This Cake Ahead of Time
You can make this cake ahead of time by making the cake layers and freezing them. Simply wrap them in plastic wrap and foil and freeze them for up to 2 months. Before assembling the cake, let the layers thaw in the fridge overnight, make the frosting, then frost the cake.
The frosting can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. Let it come to room temperature before beating it to make it fluffy again.
Helpful Tips for the Best Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake
- Using room temperature ingredients will make everything blend much easier.
- Make the cake layers ahead of time, it’s easier to frost a cold cake.
- Don’t over mix the cake batter, or you can end up with a dense cake.
If you can’t decide between chocolate cake and cheesecake, this cake solves the problem. The chocolate layers stay incredibly moist thanks to buttermilk and coffee, while the cream cheese filling creates little pockets of cheesecake throughout the cake. Finished with a smooth chocolate cream cheese frosting, it’s the kind of dessert that feels special enough for a celebration but is simple enough to make anytime you’re craving chocolate.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup coffee room temp
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temp
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips more for decorating
Frosting
- 1 ¼ cup canned evaporated milk
- 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 10 ounces cream cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line 2, 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and coat with butter and flour. Tap out any excess flour.
- Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and 2 tablespoons of flour until creamy. Mix in mini chocolate chips. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, making sure that there are no lumps. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, coffee, oil and eggs. Pour into the dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Divide equally between the two cake pans.
- Divide the cream cheese filling in half and spoon over the batter in each cake pan. Swirl it just a little with a knife. Bake for 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when touched. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. When cooled, run an offset spatula around the cake to loosen the edges and turn out onto a wire rack.
Frosting
- Place the evaporated milk in a large glass measuring cup or bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes until bubbly and hot. While hot, whisk in chocolate chips, whisking until shiny and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the cooled chocolate mixture beating until it is smooth.
To assemble
- Place 1 layer on a cake plate and even the top with a serrated knife. Pipe a ridge of frosting around the outside of the top and then fill in with more frosting. Even out the second cake layer with a serrated knife and flip it so that the bottom of the cake layer is facing up. Place most of the frosting on top and use an offset spatula to spread it down the sides. Once the sides are covered, spread it evenly across the top. Decorate with mini chocolate chips.
Notes
- Refrigerate before slicing to let the frosting set.
- You can use any type of chocolate or cream cheese frosting for this cake.
- You can freeze the cake layers once they have cooled until you are ready to decorate.
- You can also freeze the decorated cake if you have an airtight container to hold it.
Can I make this cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan instead? I have a retirement party to go to and want to make this cake.
Yes, you will have to increase the baking time a bit.
Can anything else be used instead of the coffee?
YOu can just add water instead.
Can you make cupcakes instead of cake?
Yes, but you need to make some adjustments. I gave those in a separate post: https://easysoutherndesserts.com/chocolate-cream-cheese-cupcakes/
I am making this now and the frosting seems runny not like normal frosting. I used the exact measurements and instructions
If it seems runny, put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to let the cream cheese thicken.