Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Cake

Looking for a showstopping dessert recipe? This Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Cake sandwiches a creamy cheesecake between two moist chocolate cakes and is finished off with a decadent fudge sauce!

This Cheesecake Cake made my friends’ jaws drop when I brought it to a gathering of girlfriends! It was a huge hit, and only a sliver is needed to get your chocolate fix!

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Cake

When I need a rich and gooey dessert, I know I can rely on my friend, Danielle, for the best recipes. I was headed to a gathering of about 20 girlfriends and we were all to bring heavy appetizers. I knew a dessert would be fine with my hostess and this Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Cake has something for everyone.

The rich, creamy cheesecake was perfect for my cheesecake loving daughter whereas my youngest would push aside the middle layer and eat only the cake and fudge topping. Of course, my gal pals have much less picky palates than my family members (who doesn’t for that matter???) and swooned over their slivers of cake.

Fudge Topping for this Cheesecake Cake

Danielle’s version has the fudge sauce artfully dripping down the sides of the cake. Well, apparently, that’s not my forte. So, instead of saving half the fudge for hot fudge sundaes, I used every spankin’ drop to ice the whole cake. That’s where the decadence x 3 comes in.

Whoa, was this one amazing masterpiece. A tiny portion is all you need unless you want a big slab instead of dinner. No judgment here! And if icing a cake is not your thing, slices of this cake would be marvelous drizzled with fudge sauce! Pour over the top and let it drip down the sides. Pop over to Danielle’s blog to see her presentation.

Tips for Making a Cheesecake:

There are a few tips that will make your cheesecake creamy and perfect every time. The texture of a cheesecake is extremely important so following a few key steps will make this achievable!

• Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. This is especially important for eggs, cream cheese, and any other dairy. This will ensure they blend in properly. You do not want little bits of cream cheese in your batter.
• Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before the next is added.
• Use the paddle attachment to mix the batter. This keeps the cheesecake creamy and dense as less air is whipped into the batter.
• Baking in a water bath or bain-marie helps stabilize the baking temperature. Some say it helps prevent cracking, so it’s worth the extra step.
• Let your baked cheesecake chill overnight before serving for the best flavor and texture. Enjoy!

More of the Best Cheesecake Recipes

• Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes – Get your cheesecake fix with perfect portion control!
• Hot Fudge Cheesecake Bars – You’ll be tempted to go back for another
• Hot Fudge Brownie Cheesecake – So decadent, it’s not for the faint of heart or calorie counters!
• More of the Best Cheesecake Recipes 
• More of the Best Dessert Recipes

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The Recipe:

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Cake

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Yield 16

An insanely rich and delicious cheesecake filled chocolate layer cake topped with fudge

Ingredients

For Chocolate Cake Layers:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cups cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup hot coffee
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Cheesecake Layer:

• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 ⅔ cups sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream

For Hot Fudge:

• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1-1 ½ cups heavy cream (if icing your cake, start with 1 cup)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

1. Make cakes first. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and line 2, 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the dry ingredients & mix.
3. Add in the buttermilk, hot coffee, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until well combined 1-2 mins.
4. Divide batter among cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out almost clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.
5. Let cake cool in pans for about 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled. I froze mine at this point until ready to assemble the cake.
6. To make cheesecake, lightly butter an 8-inch springform pan. Wrap it in foil and place it in a larger pan for a water bath. Preheat oven to 350º.
7. With the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, beat one pack of cream cheese with ⅓ cup sugar and cornstarch on low for 3 minutes. Add the rest of the cream cheese and blend. Increase the mixer speed to high and add the red of the sugar. On medium add the eggs, vanilla, and heavy cream and mix till just blended.
8. Pour into spring-form pan, then pour hot water into a larger pan (I use a roasting pan) till it reaches 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake for 60-75 minutes or till the center is almost set. Let cool to room temperature then chill in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
9. To make hot fudge, melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan and swirl it around in the pan to the coat sides.
10. Add corn syrup and chocolate and stir until chocolate melts.
11. Add sugars, cream, and salt and continue to cook over medium till the mixture comes to a boil.
12. Using a candy thermometer, boil gently for 7 to 9 minutes, without stirring, until the sauce is thickened and the candy thermometer reaches 220-224º. Remove from heat. Pour sauce into 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup. Whisk in vanilla. Cool to room temperature on the counter, then chill till it reaches a spreadable consistency before frosting the cake.
13. To assemble, place one chocolate layer on a serving plate, top with the cheesecake layer, then the second chocolate layer. Frost with fudge sauce or just serve slices with a drizzle of fudge sauce.
14. Keep the cake chilled.
15. Hot Fudge will last 2 weeks. Cool sauce completely before covering and chilling.

Notes

The fudge must be chilled to reach spreadable consistency. Keep cake refrigerated till serving time to keep the topping relatively firm.
I've decreased the amount of heavy cream in the fudge sauce so it's more spreadable. If you'd like it thinner, add up to ½ cup more cream.
An easier, just as delicious alternative would be to serve slices drizzled with fudge sauce and skip the icing step!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 615Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 446mgCarbohydrates: 86gFiber: 2gSugar: 70gProtein: 6g

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