Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This chocolate cake recipe is for two layers of moist dark chocolate cake covered in a silky cream cheese frosting. This recipe is perfect to make for birthday parties or special occasions as it does require a little effort and decorating skills!

If you love testing out new cake recipes then have a look at this Chocolate Nut Cake recipe or this recipe for a Vanilla Chocolate Cake. 

Ingredients

To make this delicious chocolate cake you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember to always use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking. 

•  Sunflower oil
•  Granulated white sugar
•  Extra-large eggs
•  Self-raising flour
•  Salt
•  Unsweetened cocoa powder
•  Baking soda
•  Buttermilk
•  Strong brewed coffee
• Vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar
• Unsalted butter
• Cream cheese

Extra large eggs – if you don’t have extra large eggs, work out how many eggs you will need by cracking and weighing them. My eggs weigh 56 grams each out of their shell.

Sunflower oil – sunflower oil is a type of vegetable oil that is great to use in bakes as a substitute for butter or alongside butter. It ensures a light and moist cake or cupcakes. All vegetable oils have different properties and tastes, so choose a neutral-tasting oil like sunflower oil or canola for this recipe. 

Self-raising flour – if you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own by sifting together cake flour and baking powder. Check the packaging of your baking powder to work out how much should be added. 

Cocoa powder – choose an unsweetened quality cocoa powder for this recipe.

Strong brewed coffee – I make a cup of strong coffee using ground espresso beans and a French press, do the same to ensure you have a great quality coffee to add to your chocolate cake batter. You can also brew espresso, or use ground espresso powder mixed with hot water. 

Cream cheese – choose a full-fat cream cheese for this recipe, and make sure it is at room temperature to avoid a lumpy frosting.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

To make this layered moist chocolate cake follow the simple instructions below. First, you will be making the chocolate cake layers, I recommend doing this the day before and allowing them to cool properly before firming them up overnight in the fridge. You will then make the cream cheese frosting and decorate the cake. 

Instructions for cake 

STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2x 22cm diameter (9 inch) round cake tins with oil and parchment paper. 

STEP 2: Beat the oil, eggs, and sugar. Add the eggs, sugar, and oil to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until well combined.

STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and bicarbonate of soda. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, and beat at medium speed until just combined.

STEP 4: Add the wet ingredients. In a jug mix together the buttermilk, brewed coffee, and vanilla. Slowly pour this into the egg and flour mixture, with the motor running at low speed. Mix until combined and lump-free.

STEP 5: Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tins and bake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Once baked allow the cakes to cool in their tins for about 10 minutes before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

STEP 6: Wrap cakes. This is optional but recommended for easier decorating! Wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. 

Instructions for frosting 

STEP 1: Beat icing sugar and butter. Add the icing sugar and room temperature butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

STEP 2: Add cream cheese. Add the cubed cream cheese and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula and mix again for about 2 to 5 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the frosting to a piping bag. 

Instructions for decorating 

STEP 1: Level cake layers. Use a sharp knife to trim the domed tops off of the cake layers if necessary. 

STEP 2: Layer with frosting. Secure the first cake layer onto a cake plate with a bit of frosting. Pipe a layer of frosting over the surface of the cake and smooth this out with a spatula.

STEP 3: Secure the top cake layer. Place the second layer of cake onto the first layer with the cut side facing down. 

STEP 4: Crumb coat. Pipe the frosting over the top and sides of the cake and use a spatula or cake scraper to even this out. Place the cake into the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up. 

STEP 5: Final frosting. Pipe another layer of frosting around the entire cake and then use an offset spatula to swirl the frosting. Serve and enjoy!

Hint: Never frost warm cakes, otherwise the buttercream will melt and you will have a decorating disaster to deal with!

Variations

Once you nail the cake layers it’s easy to get creative with the frosting flavors you can use to cover this cake. So why not try making this recipe for Dulce de Leche Frosting, this Chocolate Frosting, or this recipe for Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting to decorate this cake? 

Equipment

For this delicious cake recipe, you will need x2 20cm cake tins, a wire rack for cooling, a disposable piping bag, and an electric mixer.

I always use a stand mixer or electric whisk to make the buttercream as they help ensure a fluffy frosting. I also always use an accurate kitchen scale when baking rather than relying on cup measurements which can vary greatly if you aren’t careful. 

Storage

Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring the cake to room temperature before consuming it.

To freeze this cake, cut the frosted cake into individual slices and wrap each slice of cake in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge overnight, then bring the slices to room temperature before consuming.

This easy chocolate cake covered in cream cheese frosting is the perfect cake recipe to make when you’re looking to impress! If you are new to decorating layer cakes this is a great recipe to try as the tips above really help you through the decorating process!

If you give this recipe a go and love it as much as I do, then please leave a star review and comment below – I love hearing about your kitchen stories!

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Happy Baking 

With Love, 

Kitty