Moist Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
I had a little fun experimenting with cheeses while creating this moist chocolate cake with cream cheese filling. Since I have such a love for cottage cheese, I was determined to make it work alongside the cream cheese, and the result is a rich, creamy centre tucked inside a soft chocolate cake.
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When using a blend of cottage cheese and cream cheese, be sure to drain the cottage cheese very thoroughly before mixing. Any extra liquid can make the filling too loose. It takes a little patience, but I persevered, and I love the light, creamy texture it gives this homemade chocolate cake.
This moist chocolate cake with cream cheese filling has a soft, rich chocolate crumb and a creamy vanilla centre baked right inside. I experimented with a blend of cottage cheese and cream cheese for the filling, and it gives the cake a slightly lighter texture without losing that creamy cheesecake flavour. Just be sure the cottage cheese is very well drained before mixing.
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Why It’s Good
This chocolate cake is rich but not overly heavy, with a creamy filling that makes every slice a little more special. The vegetable oil keeps the cake moist, while the melted butter adds extra flavour. I also love the contrast between the dark chocolate cake and the smooth cream cheese centre.
The cottage cheese was worth persevering with. Once it is properly drained and blended smooth, it works beautifully with the cream cheese. Still, if it looks watery, use all cream cheese instead. It is the safer choice and still tastes delicious.
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When to Serve It
This chocolate cake with cream cheese filling is a lovely dessert for birthdays, family dinners, holidays or casual weekend baking. It looks especially pretty with a light dusting of icing sugar just before serving.
It also works well when you want a homemade chocolate dessert that feels a little different but does not need frosting. Serve it with coffee, tea or a few fresh berries on the side.
How to Make Moist Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
Simple Ingredients for Moist Chocolate Cake
This moist chocolate cake with cream cheese filling starts with familiar baking ingredients, including flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, vegetable oil and vanilla. Using both butter and oil gives the homemade chocolate cake a richer flavour while helping the crumb stay soft and moist. Measure everything before mixing—it makes the recipe come together much more easily.
Mixing the Chocolate Cake Batter
Whisk the cocoa powder with the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt so the dry ingredients are evenly combined and any cocoa lumps are broken up. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, milk, melted butter, vegetable oil and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients gradually and stir only until the chocolate cake batter comes together. Avoid overmixing so the finished cake stays soft and moist.
For the creamy filling, combine the softened cream cheese, thoroughly drained cottage cheese and softened butter with icing sugar, vanilla and egg white. The cottage cheese must be well drained before mixing—extra liquid can make the centre too loose. Blend or beat the mixture until smooth and creamy so it bakes into a rich vanilla cheesecake-style layer inside the moist chocolate cake.
Tips and Tricks for Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
- Drain the cottage cheese thoroughly. Place it in a fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towel or cheesecloth, then gently press out as much liquid as possible. Extra moisture can make the cream cheese filling too loose.
- Blend the cottage cheese until smooth. Cottage cheese curds can remain visible after baking, so blend them well before adding the cream cheese and butter. The filling should look creamy rather than lumpy.
- Use all cream cheese when needed. When the cottage cheese still seems watery after draining, replace it with cream cheese. It is the safest way to achieve a thick, dependable filling inside this moist chocolate cake.
- Bring the dairy ingredients to room temperature. Softened cream cheese and butter blend much more easily and are less likely to leave little lumps in the filling.
- Let the melted butter cool slightly. Butter that is still very hot can begin cooking the eggs. Warm is fine. Hot is not.
- Measure the cocoa powder and flour carefully. Spoon the dry ingredients into the measuring cups and level them off. Too much flour or cocoa can make homemade chocolate cake dry.
- Break up any cocoa lumps. Whisk or sift the cocoa powder with the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- Do not overmix the chocolate cake batter. Stir only until the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing can make the cake heavier instead of soft and tender.
- Leave a small border around the filling. Keeping the cream cheese filling slightly away from the edges helps seal it inside the chocolate cake batter.
- Test the chocolate portion for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the cake rather than directly into the creamy centre. A few moist crumbs are fine, but there should not be any wet chocolate batter.
- Cool the cake completely before slicing. The cream cheese and cottage cheese filling continues to firm as it cools. Cutting too early can make the centre look softer than it really is.
- Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Icing sugar can absorb moisture while the cake is stored, so add it at the last minute for a clean, pretty finish.
Variations for Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
- Use all cream cheese. Replace the cottage cheese with an equal amount of softened cream cheese for a thicker, smoother filling. This is the easiest option when the cottage cheese still seems too wet after draining.
- Make it extra chocolatey. Fold ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the chocolate cake batter. I like using mini chocolate chips because they spread through the cake more evenly.
- Add chocolate to the filling. Mix 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder into the cream cheese filling for a chocolate cheesecake-style centre. You may need an extra tablespoon of icing sugar to balance the cocoa.
- Try an orange-chocolate version. Add 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest to the cream cheese filling. Chocolate and orange work beautifully together, and the flavour stays light rather than overpowering.
- Add a little espresso flavour. Stir 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the dry ingredients. It deepens the chocolate flavour without making the cake taste strongly of coffee.
- Create a marbled top. Reserve a little of the cream cheese filling and spoon it over the top layer of chocolate batter. Swirl it gently with a knife. A few passes are enough—too much swirling can muddy the pattern.
- Use mascarpone for a richer filling. Replace part of the cream cheese with mascarpone for a softer, more luxurious centre. Keep the filling chilled until you are ready to assemble the cake because mascarpone softens quickly.
- Add fresh berries when serving. Top each slice with strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. The fresh fruit cuts through the richness of the moist chocolate cake and looks lovely with the icing sugar.
- Finish with cocoa instead of icing sugar. For a darker, less sweet finish, dust the cooled cake lightly with unsweetened cocoa powder. You can also use a blend of cocoa and icing sugar.
- Make individual chocolate cakes. Divide the batter and filling between lined muffin cups for chocolate cream cheese cupcakes. Fill the cups only about two-thirds full and begin checking them after 20 minutes.
- Refrigerate the cake. Because this moist chocolate cake contains a cream cheese and cottage cheese filling, it should be stored in the refrigerator rather than left on the counter.
- Cool it completely first. Let the cake reach room temperature before covering it. Storing it while still warm can trap condensation and make the top damp.
- Keep it well covered. Place the cake in an airtight container or cover the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Store slices separately when helpful. Individual slices can be placed in small airtight containers, which makes them easy to serve and helps prevent the cake from drying out.
- Bring it to room temperature before serving. Let a slice sit out for about 15 to 20 minutes. The chocolate cake softens slightly, and the creamy filling tastes smoother and richer.
- Add the icing sugar at the last minute. Icing sugar slowly disappears as it absorbs moisture in the refrigerator, so dust the cake just before serving for the prettiest finish.
- Freeze for longer storage. Wrap cooled slices tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Do not leave it out too long. Since this homemade chocolate cake has a dairy-based filling, return any leftovers to the refrigerator within about 2 hours.
Moist Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
Equipment
- 9 × 13-inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Food processor or blender, for smoothing the cottage cheese
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth or paper towel, for draining the cottage cheese
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale
- Butter knife or skewer, for swirling the filling
- wire cooling rack
- Fine-mesh sieve, for dusting the cooled chocolate cake with icing sugar
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 eggs large and at room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 100 grams butter unsalted, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup milk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Filling
- 170 grams cottage cheese ( 2%) thoroughly drained
- 185 grams cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg white large egg
For Serving
- Icing sugar for dusting - optional
Instructions
Prepare the oven and pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Drain the cottage cheese.
- Place the cottage cheese in a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towel. Let it drain thoroughly, then gently press out as much extra liquid as possible.
- The cottage cheese needs to be quite dry before it is mixed into the filling. Too much moisture can make the centre of the cake wet or difficult to set.
Make the cream cheese filling.
- Blend the drained cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add the softened cream cheese, butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend again until creamy.
Add the egg white and mix just until combined.
- When you are unsure whether the cottage cheese has drained enough, leave it out and use 350 g (12.5 oz) cream cheese in total instead.
Combine the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make sure there are no large lumps of cocoa powder.
Mix the wet ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar together for about one minute.
- Add the vegetable oil, melted butter, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
Make the chocolate cake batter.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until the flour disappears and the chocolate cake batter is smooth.
- Do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine.
Assemble the cake.
- Spread approximately two-thirds of the chocolate cake batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Spoon the cream cheese filling over the batter, leaving a small border around the outside edge.
- Carefully spread the remaining chocolate batter over the filling. Run a butter knife gently through the batter a few times to create a soft swirl.
Bake the chocolate cake.
- Bake for approximately 40 to 48 minutes, or until the chocolate cake springs back when gently touched.
- Insert a toothpick into a chocolate section rather than directly into the cream cheese filling. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet chocolate batter.
Cool and finish.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan. The cream cheese filling will continue to firm as it cools.
- Just before serving, dust the top lightly with icing sugar.
Notes
- Drain the cottage cheese very well. Extra liquid can make the cream cheese filling too soft or leave a damp layer inside the chocolate cake. Press it gently in a fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towel or cheesecloth.
- Blend the cottage cheese until smooth. This removes the curds and creates a creamy filling that blends evenly with the softened cream cheese.
- Use all cream cheese when needed. When the cottage cheese still seems watery after draining, replace it with the same amount of cream cheese. The filling will be thicker, smoother and more dependable.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Softened cream cheese, butter and room-temperature eggs mix together more easily and help prevent little lumps in the filling.
- Let the melted butter cool slightly. It can be warm, but it should not be hot when added to the eggs and milk.
- Use 2 cups of flour in total. Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and levelling the top. Packing in too much flour can make this moist chocolate cake dry.
- Do not overmix the chocolate cake batter. Stir only until the flour and cocoa powder disappear. A few small lumps are fine.
- Keep the filling away from the pan’s edges. Leaving a small chocolate batter border helps keep the cream cheese filling tucked neatly inside the cake.
- Check the chocolate section for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the cake portion rather than directly into the creamy centre. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool the cake completely before slicing. The cottage cheese and cream cheese filling firms as it cools. I know it is tempting to cut it early, but the slices hold together much better after cooling.
- Dust with icing sugar just before serving. The icing sugar gives this chocolate cream cheese cake a simple finish without adding heavy frosting. Add it at the last minute so it stays visible.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator. Keep it covered for up to four days, then let each slice sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for the best soft texture.
Nutrition
Ellen Britt
Hi, I’m Ellen — a passionate home cook dedicated to creating easy, flavorful recipes inspired by real-life cooking and shared family traditions. Every recipe on this site is a true collaboration, developed and tested together in our kitchen to ensure it’s reliable, simple to follow, and absolutely delicious.
Serve It with a Fresh Fruit Salad
Balance this rich chocolate cake with cream cheese filling with our Simple Fresh Fruit Salad. The juicy strawberries, bananas, grapes and orange add a fresh, colourful contrast to the moist chocolate cake and creamy centre. It is an easy pairing for family dinners, birthdays or casual entertaining.
