Chocolate Layered Cheese-Cake

January 30, 2021

Have you ever wanted something really special for dessert? Maybe I should rephrase this… ya know when you want something really special for dessert? We have all been there. Unfortunately, it is usually like 5 minutes before bed and your fridge is totally empty when you get this sudden craving, so you either go to bed grumpy or make a late night run to the grocery store and some really bad decisions. Ahhh my mind is flooding with memories of times long ago, when Nate and I first got married… there was a FoodLion a half mile from our apartment… Entenmann’s Louisiana Crunch Cake and some ice cream were usually involved in these runs.

Good times….

The good news is that you can get ahead of these cravings and make something that will quench even the naughtiest of dessert desires. For such an occasion, I am proud to present to you my chocolate layered cheese-cake. If you are confused by the hyphen, it is there to alert you to the fact that there is both cheesecake and cake in this indulgent layered ticket to sweet satisfaction. It truly hits everything you are searching for… fudgy, rich chocolate cake, luscious creamy chocolate cheesecake and a light and fluffy whipped vanilla cheesecake. I am quite confident that you will love this cake and think we should get it started as soon as possible….

The first layer of this cake is like a chocolate cake brownie hybrid. It is a little more dense than typical chocolate cake, but more moist than most brownies. The batter comes together easily and can be done by hand with a good stiff whisk. Start by melting the butter in a large bowl. Add the sugar and whisk well to combine. Next, add in the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract and espresso powder and whisk until fully incorporated. Next, add the eggs, one at a time and then the water.

Next, add the flour and beat well until everything is fully combined. Be sure to scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl to break up all of the flour and ensure that it is all incorporated into the batter.

Grease a small springform pan. I am using a 6″ pan, but this recipe would work in something as large as an 8″ springform. I used the 6″ pan because I wanted to have a little extra height on this base layer to trim off flat before adding the next layer. This is optional.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, depending on the size pan you use. Use a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, pull it out! Allow the cake to cool completely. I like to set the springform pan on a cooling rack for about an hour and that usually does the trick. Once the cake is cool, release the sides of the springform pan and set the base on a flat sturdy surface. Using a serrated knife, remove the crown from the top of the cake, leaving a smooth flat top. Now for the next layer…

The middle layer of this creation is a chocolate no-bake cheesecake that is rich and silky with a totally over the top chocolate flavor. This recipe can easily be tripled to make an easy, yet impressive chocolate cheesecake in just a few minutes. For this recipe, you will need to melt 4oz or 2/3 of a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips. You can do this in a double boiler or by microwaving the chocolate in a glass bowl for 3 ten second sections, mixing in between each set.

Once your chocolate is melted and smooth, grab your other ingredients. You’ll need 8 oz or one standard box of cream cheese at room temperature, 1/3 cup of heavy cream, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whip the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer until it is smooth and creamy. Next, add the sugar and cocoa powder and mix until they are well combined with the cream cheese. Next add the vanilla extract and melted chocolate and mix until smooth.

The last step is to add the heavy cream and whip the batter until soft peaks have formed. This should take about two minutes.

Place the side of the springform pan back onto the base and secure. Transfer the chocolate cheesecake into the pan and gently smooth it over the cake base layer. Be sure to smooth it out against the pan so you will have even, smooth layers on your finished product. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for about 60 minutes.

Once the middle layer has firmed up in the refrigerator, we are ready to whip up the final layer. This one is the simplest, but in some ways, the most important layer. The first two layers are so rich and decadent, so this fluffy, light layer really balances the whole cake out. This final layer is a whipped vanilla cheesecake layer with a sour cream base that offers the slightest bit of tartness that plays really nicely with the chocolate layers. To get it started, you’ll need heavy cream, a lemon, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and one block of room temperature cream cheese.

In a stand mixer, whip the cream cheese until it is smooth and fluffy. Next, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whip together until well combined. Next, add the sour cream and lemon juice and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff, glossy peaks have formed. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese batter, being careful not to over mix. This batter should be very fluffy! Transfer it on to the chilled cake and smooth it out, being sure to press it out against the pan.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Once you are ready to serve, carefully release the springform sides and pull it as straight up as possible to avoid smearing the layers and this is your finished product…

Isn’t she pretty?? If any of your layers were smeared or uneven, just smooth them out with a butter knife and all will be well in the world.

To dress up the top, whip up a half cup of heavy cream, a tablespoon of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract and transfer it to a piping bag. Pipe out some pretty swirls and dust them with a bit of cocoa powder and your cake will be ready to serve. I finished the cake about two hours before serving and just placed it back into the refrigerator until I was ready to serve it.

This cake is so rich and decadent and beautiful and it was gone within the hour. I hope you enjoy…

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