Chocolate Cream Dessert Cake is a moist chocolate layer cake filled and frosted with a light chocolate whipped cream. It’s the kind of cake I like to keep in the fridge and slice straight from cold, because it eats like a classic chilled dessert cake.
The cake layers are deeply chocolatey thanks to cocoa and hot coffee (or hot water), and the whipped cream frosting stays soft and airy instead of heavy. For me, the contrast between the tender cake and the cold chocolate cream is what makes this one stand out.
I make this when I want a chocolate cake that feels a little lighter than buttercream cakes, especially for weekends and holiday dinners. It also slices really neatly after a good chill, which is always a win if you’re serving a group.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Chill-and-slice cake: This one is meant to be served cold, so you get clean slices and a really nice creamy texture.
Light frosting: The chocolate whipped cream is airy and not heavy like traditional frostings, but it still feels like a real dessert.
Big chocolate flavor: Cocoa plus hot coffee (or hot water) gives the cake a deeper chocolate taste that doesn’t fall flat.
Great make-ahead dessert: Since it needs chill time anyway, it’s easy to fit into your day before you actually need to serve it.
Ganache if you want it: You can keep it simple with the whipped cream, or add the ganache drip when you want a more finished look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chocolate Cake
- All-purpose flour: I use regular AP flour here. It gives you a soft cake that still slices cleanly once it’s chilled.
- Granulated sugar: This is the sweetener for the cake and it also helps keep the crumb moist.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa (natural or Dutch-process both work). If your cocoa is lumpy, whisk it well so you don’t get dry pockets.
- Baking powder: Helps the layers rise evenly so they don’t bake up too dense.
- Baking soda: This works with the buttermilk to give the cake lift and a softer texture.
- Fine salt: Don’t skip it. It keeps the chocolate flavor from tasting flat.
- Eggs: Two large eggs are plenty here. They help the cake set and hold together, especially with the thin batter.
- Vegetable oil: Oil keeps the cake moist even after chilling in the fridge. Any neutral oil works.
- Buttermilk: This gives a tender crumb and a little tang. If you don’t have it, the milk + lemon juice swap works well.
- Hot brewed coffee or hot water: Hot liquid “blooms” the cocoa so the chocolate tastes stronger. Coffee gives the richest flavor, but hot water is totally fine if you want it mild.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla makes the chocolate taste more rounded. I use pure vanilla, but imitation works in a pinch.
Chocolate Cream Filling and Frosting
- Heavy cream: Cold heavy cream (36% milkfat or higher) whips up the most stable. I like to chill the bowl too if my kitchen is warm.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the cream and dissolves easily so you don’t get any graininess.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives the whipped cream a real chocolate taste. Sift it if it’s clumpy so the frosting stays smooth.
- Vanilla extract: A little vanilla keeps the cream tasting like dessert instead of just cocoa.
- Fine salt: Just enough to make the chocolate pop.
- Instant chocolate pudding mix (optional): This helps stabilize the whipped cream, especially if you want the cake to hold up well for slicing and serving.
Chocolate Ganache (Optional)
- Semisweet chocolate chips: Semisweet is my go-to here so the ganache doesn’t get too sweet. Chop a bar if that’s what you have.
- Heavy cream: Warmed just until steaming. It melts the chips quickly and gives you that glossy drip.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, hot coffee (or hot water), and vanilla. Mix just until smooth; the batter will be thin.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely.
- Whip the chocolate cream: In a cold bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and pudding mix (if using) to medium-stiff peaks.
- Fill and frost: Level the cake layers if needed. Spread a thick layer of chocolate cream over one layer, add the second layer, then frost the top and sides with the remaining cream.
- Chill: Chill the cake for at least 2 hours so the frosting sets up and you get clean slices.
- Make the ganache (optional): Heat the cream until steaming, pour it over the chocolate chips, and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth, then cool until it’s slightly thick but still pourable.
- Add the ganache (optional): Drip the ganache over the chilled cake, then return the cake to the fridge for about 20 minutes to set.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Chill the cake layers before frosting. Cold cake is easier to level and handle, and it keeps the whipped cream from getting smudgy. If you have time, a short chill in the fridge helps a lot.
Stop whipping at medium-stiff peaks. You want the cream to hold its shape, but still spread easily. If you whip too far, it can start looking grainy and it’s harder to frost smoothly.
Use heavy cream, not whipping cream. The higher milkfat makes a noticeable difference in how stable the frosting is, especially after the cake sits in the fridge.
Level the layers if they dome. A flat top makes stacking easier and keeps the filling from sliding. A long serrated knife works fine.
Let the ganache cool before dripping. If it’s too warm, it’ll run straight down and get messy. I like it when it’s still pourable but a little thicker.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Fresh berries: Strawberries or raspberries are really nice on the side. I like the way they cut through the rich chocolate.
- Coffee or espresso: A mug of coffee makes this feel like a real dessert course. Decaf works too if you’re serving it at night.
- Extra whipped cream: If you have any leftover chocolate cream, add a small spoonful on each plate. It looks a little fancier and tastes great.
- Chocolate shavings: A few curls of chocolate or a dusting of cocoa on top is simple and fits the cake. Do it right before serving.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This cake is best cold, so the fridge is where it should live.
You can make the cake layers ahead and chill them before frosting. Cold layers are easier to stack and help the whipped cream stay firm while you work.
If you want to assemble the whole cake ahead, frost it and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the ganache closer to serving if you want the drip to look neat and glossy.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use hot water instead of coffee?
Yes. Hot water works great and still brings out the cocoa flavor. Coffee just gives a slightly deeper chocolate taste, but the cake won’t taste like coffee either way.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
You can make a quick substitute: use milk with a little lemon juice and let it sit for about 10 minutes. It won’t be exactly the same, but it works well in this cake.
How do I keep chocolate whipped cream from getting runny?
Start with very cold heavy cream and don’t whip it in a warm kitchen if you can avoid it. The optional instant chocolate pudding mix also helps stabilize it, especially if you want the cake to slice extra clean.
Can I make this in different pans?
Two 9-inch rounds are the easiest for this recipe. If you use different pans, the bake time will change, so keep an eye on it and use the toothpick test for doneness.
Do I have to add the ganache?
No, it’s optional. The cake is completely finished with the chocolate whipped cream frosting, and I make it that way most of the time. The ganache is just a nice extra if you want it.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Chocolate Cream Dessert Cake
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Cake
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee or hot water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract.
Chocolate Cream Filling and Frosting
- 2.5 cups cold heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp instant chocolate pudding mix optional for stabilization.
Chocolate Ganache Optional
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream.
INSTRUCTIONS
Bake Cake
- heat oven to 350 F and grease and line two 9 inch round pans
- whisk flour sugar cocoa baking powder baking soda and salt
- add eggs oil buttermilk coffee and vanilla then mix just until smooth and thin
- divide batter and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs
- cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out and cool completely.
Make Chocolate Cream
- whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar cocoa vanilla salt and pudding mix if using to medium stiff peaks
- level cake layers if needed then spread a thick layer of chocolate cream between layers
- frost top and sides with remaining cream and chill at least 2 hours for clean slices.
Add Ganache Optional
- heat cream until steaming then pour over chocolate chips and rest 2 minutes
- stir smooth and cool to a slightly thick pourable consistency then drip over chilled cake and return to chill 20 minutes.
