Devil’s Food Cake with Ricotta Cheesecake and Vanilla Bean Buttercream
This was a totally decadent dessert!
A three layer cake with a layer of Cheesecake in the middle, has got to be one of the most calorie dense desserts that I’ve made so far here. If Cheesecake Factory doesn’t already have something like this, they should! (But I know they have some crazy decadent cheesecakes already!)
The Ricotta Cheesecake was new to me. I was a little nervous of the light lemon flavor pairing with the dark chocolate cake, but it worked out very well. I was tempted to make a strawberry cake, but I was glad that I stuck to my plan. I think that the color just looks stunning!
Speaking of stunning, this cake frosting looks amazing and it’s so easy to do. I put my frosting into a large piping bag and cut off the tip. I didn’t add a tip, I just cut a hole in the end of the bag that was about 1 inch round. Then, I made three dots of frosting and smooshed and dragged it with the back of a spoon. Then I added three more dots where the dragged frosting was and then repeated the process all the way around.
It takes a bit longer to do, but this petal technique is just so stunning.
I’ve done it with ombre designed cakes and it looks amazing! I’ve seen it done with rainbow effects and it is stunning! I think it’s a great frosting finish that both men and ladies enjoy.
I hope that you can just dig into this cake.
If you don’t want to do the cheesecake center, this cake recipe makes a full three layer cake. I just baked two of them and used the remainder for cupcakes.
My Mom has been in town this past week and she got to enjoy a slice (or two) of this. She enjoys my desserts when I remove all the calories from them.
I’d do almost anything for my Mom. 😉
Prep time:
Cook time:
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa
- 1¼ cup boiling water
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks butter
- 1½ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350 . Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and add parchment to the bottom of each pan.
- Combine the chopped chocolate, cocoa and boiling water and whisk until smooth.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Beat the butter on a medium-high speed until creamy and then add in the brown sugar. Beat on high for three minutes until light and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed to medium and add in one egg at a time. Finally add in the sour cream and vanilla and beat until no more white remains.
- Reduce the mixer to low and add in ⅓ of the flour mixture followed by ½ of the chocolate mixture. Repeat the additions ending with with flour. Do not overbeat the cake batter.
- Divide the cake into the three prepared cake pans and bake for 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 20 minutes before removing them and cooling them on a cooling rack.
- Allow the Vanilla Bean Buttercream to come to room temperature. You may want to re-whip it to get it fluffy again.
- Place one chocolate cake on a cake platter and add a thin layer of frosting. Place the cheesecake upside down on the cake. If you baked a 9-inch cheesecake (like I did) trim off the edges of the cheesecake so that it's flush with the chocolate cake. Add a thin layer of frosting. Top with a second layer of chocolate cake and add a thin crumb coat to the cake.
- Place the cake into the fridge for an hour.
- Put the remaining frosting into a piping bag and cut off the tip so that there is a 1 inch hole.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and pip three vertical dots on the side of the cake. Using the back of a spoon or offset spatula, press the center of the dot and pull the frosting to the right. This will be the back of the cake. Add another column of dots over the pulled frosting and repeat the process all the way around the cake. You won't be able to pull your last row of dots at the back of the cake.
- To decorate the top of the cake, start at the same spot for the "back" and go around one row at a time. Work your way to the center.
- Refrigerate your cake until you are ready to serve it.
Find the Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe HERE.
Find the Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting HERE.
This looks delicious!
Thank you so much.
your cake looks beautiful and delicious!!!
This is beautiful! You can never have too much chocolate.
I’m so glad you agree There’s no such thing as too much chocolate!
I would really love to try this!!!
It was great! You should try it!
This looks amazing! Cheesecake and chocolate are two of my faves:)
WOW that looks amazing! I don’t know how you do it, all your recipes are just SO amazing! Thanks so much for linking up on the new Cook it! Craft it! Share it! link party tonight! You’ve been shared and pinned
Wow!! If you’re removing calories, I’ll take two slices too!!
Sorry, I can’t help you there – I ate all the slices without the calories. oops
Karyn, this is so beautiful! I love the frosting (especially how forgiving it looks :)!
Perfect and gorgeous! Pinned :-).
Thanks so much for the pin. Glad you stopped by.
This cake looks phenomenal, Karyn! I love the Cheesecake Factory’s creations, but making this cake at home would be oodles cheaper and probably even more delicious. Great photos too, lady! I’d love to know how you made the moving one that makes it look like the fork’s digging in.
Such a gorgeous dessert! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Devil’s food AND Cheesecake! Count me in! Thank you so much for your support at Party in Your PJs, we love partying with you!
Thanks for stopping by. Glad you liked it!
G’day! This looks delicious! Wish I could try now!
Viewed as part of Party in Your PJs #1
Cheers! Joanne
Oh my goodness that’s beautiful!!! My husband would love that for Father’s Day!
If you make it, let me know how you (an he) like it! It was a hit here!
This looks amazing! There is nothing here I don’t love!
Join the club! It was all amazing!
I just have a quick question. I just made all the pieces for the cake. According to the instructions, I’ve now made 3 layers of chocolate cake. Where does the 3rd layer go?
I didn’t include the third cake in with the cheesecake. You can freeze it and save it for another occasion. I hope you enjoy it!
it’s so decadent. yum!
What a beautiful presentation! I love the mix of different flavors and textures, I bet it is fantastic!
It surely was. I ate it all together, but my mom ate the frosting, then the cake and finally the cheesecake. Lol!
OMG, this cake looks absolutely amazing. I am drooling,
thank you.
I just wanted to say, I am reeeeaaaally digging your GIFs. 😀
Thanks so much! They really make me want to eat the cake again!