Best Ever Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe – With a perfectly light and tender cake crumb, this delicious made from scratch chocolate cake is finished with a scrumptious vanilla cream cheese frosting. You’ll find every excuse to make this chocolate cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting over and over again!
There are a few reasons why I love this chocolate cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting so much.
First, it’s incredibly easy to make. Yes, it’s a layer cake and it requires a little bit of patience and planning ahead, but it’s worth every minute. Plus, I always plan on leaving it to set overnight so I’m not tempted to slice it before the ganache is settled.
Second, the vanilla cream cheese frosting is one of the easiest things to do, ever! Just make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature and you slowly add in the powdered sugar. A kitchen ceiling with a layer of sugar on is no fun. (I may or may not talk from experience)
Third, this cake is a match made in heaven. Either you’re in the chocolate camp or the vanilla camp, combining the two results in a dessert everyone loves. (To be fair, I think this cake is more like 75% chocolate, 25% vanilla but who keeps track?)
Fourth, you don’t need any advanced decorating skills. If you’d rather cover the sides of the cake in frosting, just make a double batch. But I love a naked cake.
Last but not least, the ganache on top uses equal amounts of dark and semisweet chocolate. In my opinion, it’s the perfect balance of sweetness to finish the cake.
Best Ever Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup International Delight Chocolate Caramel coffee creamer
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons International Delight Chocolate Caramel vanilla creamer
Ganache
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cups unsweetened chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Coat three 9″ round pans with baking spray or butter and flour. Shake off excess. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl add the butter and sugar. With the paddle attachment on, beat on low speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- Alternately add some of the flour mixture and a little of the coffee creamer, beating just until all the ingredients are blended in.
- Divide batter equally between the 3 baking pans.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove the pans from the oven and leave to cool for about 10-15 minutes before inverting on wire racks to cool completely.
Frosting
- In a mixing bowl add the butter and cream cheese.
- With the paddle attachment on, beat on low speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Once all the sugar is incorporated, beat in the vanilla extract and enough vanilla coffee creamer to reach your desired consistency. I prefer my frosting a little thicker so I only added 2 tablespoons.
Assemble the cake
- On a cake stand add the first layer. Spoon half of the frosting on top of it and spread it evenly.
- Gently lay the second cake layer and spread the remaining frosting.
- Last but not least finish the cake with the third cake later.
- To prevent the cake from sliding I use a cake ring but it’s not mandatory. If you do use the ring, make sure it’s tight around the cake.
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or overnight.
Ganache
- In a heatproof bowl, add the chocolate chips and cream. Microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring each time it stops, until the chocolate is smooth and creamy.
- Let the ganache thicken before pouring it over the cake.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 more hour before slicing the cake.
