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This Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is a chocolate lovers dream! It has incredibly moist chocolate cake layers filled with a silky, chocolatey and decadent cream cheese frosting that is out of this world. It’s equal parts silky, smooth, and creamy.
For more delicious chocolate cake recipes, make my chocolate mud cake, chocolate donut cake and black velvet cake!
This is seriously the best chocolate cake you’ll ever make and let me tell you why! The cake itself is incredibly moist and soft – each bite melts in your mouth!
Then, the luscious chocolate cream cheese frosting is absolutely out of this world. It’s the perfect balance of chocolate decadence.
You get a smooth chocolate layer cake with a creamy, not overly sweet chocolate cream cheese frosting sandwiched between each layer … and frankly, as a picky chocolate lover, it appeals to both my love of deep and rich chocolate flavor without being overly chocolatey.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll LOVE This Recipe
- EVERYONE says this is the “Best chocolate cake I’ve ever had“. I’m not making this up – the proof is in the pudding on this one and the result speak for themselves. I tested this recipe 4 times and had 10 cake testers and it was unanimous. They’ve already requested this cake at Thanksgiving and Christmas!
- Versatile! This recipe can be made into chocolate cupcakes, baked in a tube pan, or baked in a single layer for an easy chocolate cake!
- Detailed instructions with photos and pro baking tips! I actually teach you how to make this cake and give you tips I’ve learned along the way so that you can create this wonderful recipe at home, too!
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Black Cocoa Powder OR Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder – DO NOT USE Natural Cocoa Powder, they’re not the same and the recipe will turn out differently! This is my secret ingredient and frankly, I think it has the best flavor. You get a smooth, rich chocolate flavor that’s not bitter nor oppressively chocolatey.
- A combination of melted butter and vegetable oil make this an incredibly moist chocolate cake. I’m talking melt in your mouth moist! I use salted butter but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
- Espresso Powder and Piping Hot Coffee deepen that chocolate flavor of the cake. No, the cake will not taste like coffee! The espresso powder is totally optional, but highly recommended. Save leftovers and make my chocolate espresso cake, chocolate zucchini cake recipe or my chocolate ricotta cake next!
- Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of chocolate cake by rounding out the flavor of the cocoa and bringing out its richness. Even though it’s not the star, it adds depth and warmth that makes the chocolate taste more balanced.
- Large Eggs provide structure to the cake, holding it together as it rises and bakes in the oven. The Egg Yolks add extra richness and fat, making the cake more tender and giving it a smooth, velvety texture.
- Granulated Sugar does more than just add sweetness—it helps tenderize the cake by weakening gluten formation, resulting in a softer texture. It also adds moisture!
- Sour Cream adds moisture and richness to chocolate cake without thinning the batter, which helps create a soft and tender crumb. Its slight acidity also enhances the chocolate flavor and activates leavening agents for a better rise while baking.
How To Make Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 3 8-inch pans with nonstick baking spray and line with parchment paper.
Step 1: In a large bowl, add vegetable oil, melted butter, and sugar. Whisk together until combined, then add eggs and egg yolks. Continue to whisk until combined and smooth.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine all purpose flour, black cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 3: Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined, then add sour cream and whole milk. Mix until just combined, then add the remainder of the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Pour hot coffee on top of the batter and mix until just combined.
Step 5: Divide the chocolate cake batter equally among the pans and bake for 30-33 minutes, until a tooth pick comes out of the center of the cake clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack.
Step 6: Wrap each layer with plastic wrap and cool completely. This traps in the steam and keeps the cake nice and moist.
Make the Frosting and Assemble the Cake
Step 7: While the cakes are cooling, make the Cream Cheese Frosting. Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until lightened in color and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, add cream cheese, vanilla extract, and heavy cream.
Step 8: Once the cakes are cooled, place one of the cakes on a cake stand. Spread an even layer of chocolate frosting all around the cake then place the second cake on top. Add an even layer of frosting and repeat with the third layer. Add a thin layer of frosting around the cake and place into the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes (crumb coat). Add the remainder of frosting on top of the cake.
Pro Tips for Perfect Chocolate Cake
Chill the cake layers before frosting – Cold layers are sturdier and easier to handle. A quick 30-minute chill reduces crumbs and makes frosting much cleaner.
Weigh your ingredients. For the best results (and most consistent), use a kitchen scale instead of cups. The volumetric measurements can be found in the recipe card.
Bloom your cocoa powder – add piping hot coffee to the batter, this intensifies the chocolate flavor and creates a more tender crumb.
Use room temperature ingredients! Eggs, butter, sour cream, and cream cheese should all be at room temp to ensure even mixing and a smooth batter and frosting.
Don’t overmix – Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing activates gluten and leads to a dense, tough cake. This also applies to the cream cheese frosting recipe. DON’T Overmix the frosting. As soon as it’s fluffy and smooth, stop mixing.
Recipe FAQs
Grease your pans thoroughly with baking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. For extra assurance, dust the greased sides with a little cocoa powder (for chocolate cake) instead of flour to maintain that rich color. Once baked, let the cakes cool for 10–15 minutes before turning them out—this helps them release cleanly.
If your frosting is too soft or runny, pop it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to firm up the butter and cream cheese. You can also add more sifted powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, to thicken it. If it’s too thick, mix in a splash of milk or heavy cream—just a tablespoon at a time—until it reaches the right consistency.
Natural Cocoa Powder is roasted cocoa beans that have been ground into powder. It has a slightly bitter flavor. Because it’s acidic, it reacts with baking soda—so use it in recipes that call for baking soda to help your cake rise.
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder has been treated with an alkalizing agent to neutralize its acidity, resulting in a deeper, darker brown color and a smoother, mellow chocolate flavor. Since it’s not acidic, it won’t react with baking soda—recipes using Dutch-processed cocoa typically rely on baking powder for leavening.
Black Cocoa Powder is ultra-Dutch-processed: it’s been alkalized even more heavily, giving it a nearly black color.
This recipe calls for black cocoa powder but you can also use dutch process cocoa powder.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
Desserts
Triple Chocolate Cake
Breakfast
Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe
Desserts
Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Cake
- 2/3 cup (158 ml) Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 cup (113 g) Salted Butter, (melted)
- 2 1/4 cups (450 g) Sugar
- 3 large Eggs, (room temperature)
- 2 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Egg Yolks, (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) Sour Cream, (room temperature)
- 2 1/2 cups (313 g) All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cup (128 g) Black Cocoa Powder, (or dutch process cocoa powder)
- 2 tsp Espresso Powder
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Milk, (room temperature)
- 1 1/3 cup (320 g) Coffee, (hot)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
- 12 oz (340 g) Cream Cheese, (room temperature)
- 4 cups (500 g) Powdered Sugar
- 3/4 cup (64 g) Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- Pinch Kosher Salt , (cold)
- 2 tbsp Heavy Cream , crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, add vegetable oil, melted butter, and sugar. Whisk together until combined, then add eggs and egg yolks. Continue to whisk until combined and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, black cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined, then add sour cream and whole milk. Mix until just combined, then add the remainder of the dry ingredients.
- Pour hot coffee on top of the batter and mix until just combined.
- Spray 3 8-inch pans with nonstick baking spray and line with parchment paper. Divide the batter equally among the pans and bake for 30-33 minutes, until a tooth pick comes out of the center of the cake clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Wrap each layer with plastic wrap and cool completely. This traps in the steam and keeps the cake nice and moist.
- While the cakes are cooling, make the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until lightened in color and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add in powdered sugar, 1-2 cups at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. As you add more powdered sugar, the frosting will become thicker. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, add cream cheese, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Mix for 1-2 minutes, until combined and smooth.
- Once the cakes are cooled, place one of the cakes on a cake stand. Level the cake if needed. Spread an even layer of chocolate frosting all around the cake then place the second cake on top. Add an even layer of frosting and repeat with the third layer. Add a thin layer of frosting around the cake and place into the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes (crumb coat).
- Add remainder of frosting on top of the cake.
Notes
- I strongly suggest using black cocoa powder but if you don’t have any, dark cocoa powder is a good substitute. Your cake may not be black but the inclusion of espresso powder will still ensure a rich dark hue without using food coloring.
- Measure your flour correctly! Flour scooped right out of the bag can typically be more because the flour is compressed. Fluff up the flour and spoon it into the measuring cup or use a kitchen scale to measure the flour for a more accurate measurement.
- Another way to tell if the cake is done is if the cake has a slight bounce to it when touched.
- Before assembling the cake, chill the layers in the freezer for 15 minutes. It will be easier to stack and frost them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello,
I just discovered your channel. I give this recipe 5 Stars just because it LOOKS delicious and I can’t wait to make it!
What would be the bake time if I made it in a Bundt pan??
Thank you and be Blessed! 🥰
Hi Alesia! You can bake this in a tube pan or 12-15 cup bundt pan for 55-65 minutes! Enjoy 🙂
What other size pans will work? I don’t own 3 8” pans. Thanks
You can use 2 9 inch pans – just be sure to adjust baking times accordingly, they’ll bake a little faster in a bigger pan.
Unbelievably good!!!! The cake is so moist and just enough sweetness! Will be making this again and again!
Thank you so much!