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Chocolate Brownie Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 112 reviews

This decadent Brownie Cake combines a rich chocolate cake base with delightful dollops of fudgy brownie batter swirled into each layer, topped with a creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting. Perfect for chocolate lovers looking for a stunning and indulgent dessert for special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
  • 4 Large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup Oil (canola or vegetable oil)
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Buttermilk (room temperature)
  • 1 cup Hot water (steaming)

Brownie Batter

  • 1 cup White granulated sugar
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1/4 cup Unsalted butter (melted)
  • 1/4 cup Oil
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 TBSP Cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 2 cups Unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 3 cups Powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by spraying nonstick spray, lining with parchment paper circles, and spraying again to ensure easy removal of cakes.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients for Cake: In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Set aside to prepare wet ingredients.
  3. Prepare Wet Ingredients for Cake: Heat the water in a small pan on the stove over high heat until steaming. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Slowly incorporate the hot water into the wet ingredients, mixing gently to avoid cooking the eggs.
  4. Combine Cake Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide the cake batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans and set aside while making the brownie batter.
  5. Mix Dry Ingredients for Brownie Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
  6. Beat Sugar and Eggs: Using a mixer, beat sugar and eggs at high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
  7. Add Wet Ingredients to Brownie Batter: Add vanilla extract, oil, and melted butter to the sugar-egg mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  8. Add Chocolate Chips: Remove bowl from mixer, fold in the chocolate chips gently using a rubber spatula.
  9. Portion Brownie Batter: Using a cookie scoop, evenly distribute dollops of brownie batter atop the cake batter in each cake pan. Use a kitchen knife to lightly swirl the brownie batter into the cake batter to create a marbled effect.
  10. Bake: Bake the pans in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs but not wet batter.
  11. Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
  12. Prepare Frosting Dry Ingredients: Sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside.
  13. Beat Cream Cheese and Butter: Using a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and unsalted butter on high speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  14. Add Powdered Sugar: Add half of the powdered sugar mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix again on low speed.
  15. Add Vanilla and Beat: Add vanilla extract and beat on high speed until the frosting becomes creamy and slightly lighter in color.
  16. Trim Cake Layers: Use a serrated knife to cut off any domed tops from the cakes so that layers are flat and even.
  17. Assemble Cake Layers: Place the first cake layer down and spread approximately 1 cup of frosting evenly over it. Repeat the process with the second layer, then place the last cake layer on top with the bottom side facing up.
  18. Crumb Coat and Chill: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Freeze the cake for 15 minutes to allow the frosting to set.
  19. Final Frosting: After chilling, frost the rest of the cake with the remaining frosting smoothly and evenly.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients for the best batter consistency and even baking.
  • Be careful when adding hot water to avoid curdling the eggs by mixing slowly.
  • The swirling technique creates a beautiful marbled effect combining cake and fudgy brownie flavors.
  • Let cakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
  • Trimming the domes creates even layers for a professional-looking cake.
  • Chilling after crumb coating makes the final frosting application easier and cleaner.

Keywords: brownie cake, chocolate cake, chocolate cream cheese frosting, layered chocolate cake, fudgy brownie cake, marbled brownie dessert

Find it online: https://freshrecipehub.com/chocolate-brownie-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/