This cheesecake stuffed dark chocolate cake consists of a classic cheesecake layer sandwiched between two decadent, fudgy dark chocolate cakes and iced with rich, dark chocolate cream cheese frosting.
There is a therapeutic element to baking.
I’m sure I’ve written about it before, but one of the reasons I have always enjoyed baking so much is because of that quality.
When life is stressful, frustrating, disappointing and everything feels like it is crumbling beneath you, there is a comforting stability in measuring cups and teaspoons, in lightly beaten eggs and sifted flour, softened butter and packed brown sugar.
My KitchenAid is my greatest confidant and though I spend so many good, happy days baking it’s the bad days that I’m especially grateful that I have baking as a hobby to help get me through. Nothing else is quite as soothing.
Today (or yesterday, by the time you’re reading this) was a bad day. Today my spirits are as dark and moody as the chocolate layers of this cake–nothing has gone right, some good news I had been holding out hope for crumbled like a stale cookie. Overall it’s just been utterly disheartening.
So I bake. And it helps take some of the weight off of my shoulders as I stop thinking about everything that has gone wrong and instead focus on leveling cups of milk at eye level and spend 20 minutes re-reading about the differences between egg whites and yolks and what each can add to your cakes.
Baking–and baking this cake in particular–is a consuming task, but that’s part of what makes it so great. It’s the perfect project for a day when you’re trying to shake off negative thoughts, and the payoff is something incredible.
Cheesecake stuffed dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate frosting.
What a divine mouthful.
This cake is a variation of my dark chocolate cupcakes recipe and the center is a classic cheesecake. The cake is moist, fudgy and sinfully chocolatey, the cheesecake rich and classic and a flawless companion to the flavors of the cake. And then, because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate (especially on a bad day) it’s iced with a decadent dark chocolate frosting and layered on top with a generous amount of mini chocolate chips.
Here’s to better days ahead.
Cheesecake Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
Cake
- 2 cups +3 Tbsp milk divided
- 7 oz quality dark chocolate I always use Ghirardelli 72% dark chocolate
- 1 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Frosting
- 8 Tbsp butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups dark cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips optional
Instructions
Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Line 9" springform pan with parchment paper (remove the bottom, cover with a square of parchment paper and return rim (parchment paper will be sticking out the sides). This helps to make the cheesecake more easily transferable to the center of the other cake.
- In mixer, beat together softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, scraping down the sides with a spatula occasionally to ensure it is mixed well. (beat on medium-speed about 1-2 minutes, scraping down side occasionally, it should be creamy and well-mixed)
- Add sour cream, mix well, stopping once to scrape down the sides before mixing again.
- Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until just mixed after each addition (and scraping down the sides after each addition)
- Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan.
- Bake on 350F for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least an hour before transferring to fridge to cool for at least 6 hours.
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F and prepare two 9" cake pans by greasing and lightly flouring
- In saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 cups milk and dark chocolate, stirring until chocolate is completely melted.
- Increase heat to medium-high, stir constantly until mixture begins to bubble and stir in cocoa powder. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In KitchenAid, combine canola oil and sugars, beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, until ingredients are well-combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- With mixer on low-medium speed, gradually stir in flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
- Pour the cocoa/dark chocolate liquid into the mixer and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Scrape down sides of bowl and add 3 Tbsp milk, stir on medium speed again so all ingredients are combined.
- Evenly divide batter between cake pans.
- Bake on 350F for 20 minutes (toothpick inserted into middle of cupcake should come out clean).
- Allow to cool completely before assembling cake (it may be helpful to place cakes in freezer for about 15 minutes before frosting to eliminate crumbs mixing into the icing)
Frosting and assembly
- Cream together cream cheese and butter on medium speed of KitchenAid mixer (or with electric hand mixer)
- Add vanilla and cocoa powder and stir. Gradually stir in sugar, pausing periodically to scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula.
- Add heavy cream and gradually increase speed to medium-high speed, then all the way to high-speed. Pause once to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl so all ingredients are incorporated.
- Once cake and cheesecake have both cooled completely, carefully transfer one 9" chocolate cake round to cake stand/serving platter and layer with frosting.
- Run a knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake and remove the sides of the pan. Carefully place on top of first chocolate cake layer and spread frosting over top of cheesecake..
- Place second chocolate cake layer on top of cheesecake layer
- Spread frosting evenly over cake.
Nutrition
Jamie says
Haven’t made this yet, just realized I only have milk chocolate. Do you think this would work in the recipe? Thanks!
Sam says
If it is a high quality milk chocolate it should work, but the flavor won’t be as intense.
Toni D'Ascendis says
Hi, i was wondering do you mix the chocolate chips into the icing or just layer the chips on the top of the cake?
Sam says
Hi Toni! I just layer them 🙂