Rich, dark cocoa meets creamy, dreamy cheesecake. The luscious black cocoa cake base is a moist yet fluffy cake with velvety cheesecake marbled throughout, providing delicate ribbons of creamy goodness. To top it off, there’s a smooth cream cheese layer bringing a tangy sweetness that complements the deep cocoa flavors. Sprinkle some crushed chocolate sandwich cookies on top for a delightful crunch and added chocolaty bliss!
Black Cocoa Swirled Cheesecake
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
Cake base:
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (112 grams) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature
- ¾ cup (180 grams) sour cream
- 1½ teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 grams) black cocoa powder*
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- ¼ cup (60 grams) whole milk
Cheesecake:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages (454 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 grams) sour cream, room temperature
- 6 cups (1,440 grams) water, boiled
Topping:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (130 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- Garnish: 4 to 5 cream-filled chocolate cookie sandwiches*, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- For cake base: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and eggs at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sour cream and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Fold until combined.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat milk on high until bubbles form around the sides of the bowl, about 45 seconds. Add to batter, and stir until fully combined.
- For cheesecake: Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Then add sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix until combined and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Spread three-fourths (about 3 cups or 778 grams) of cake batter into the prepared pan. Then spread half (about 1¾ cups or 359 grams) of the cheesecake mixture on top, leaving about a ½-inch border around the sides. Top with the remaining cake batter, and then top with the remaining cheesecake mixture.
- Add the boiling water to a 13x9-inch baking dish or pan; place on the bottom rack of the oven. Place the springform pan on the middle rack of the oven.
- Bake until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly, 65 to 70 minutes. Let the cake cool completely and then refrigerate it to set, at least 8 hours or overnight.
- For topping: Combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to mix together on medium speed for 30 seconds and then add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined and smooth, about 1 minute. Spread on top of cold cheesecake, and top with crushed chocolate cookies sandwiches, if desired. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Best served cold.
Notes
*I used Modern Mountain Baking Company Black Cocoa Powder and Oreos.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Even though I cooked it an extra 20 minutes, the chocolate layer did not bake. The cheesecake layers cooked but the bottom chocolate layer was completely raw. I made sure to get the water boiling before adding it to the pan to cook. What did I do wrong?
Hi Stacy,
Thank you for reaching out. You could use an oven thermometer and test your oven to be sure the temperature is correct. It might have needed more time to set as well. We also have a cheesecake troubleshooting guide that you could consult as well. Hope this helps and happy baking!
https://bakefromscratch.com/cheesecake-troubleshooting/
I wanted to give this a try despite the bad review. However I agree this recipe is a big NO. After 75 minutes the top of the cheesecake was browning and cracked but the entire cake jiggled way too much. After inserting a skewer it came out with completely raw and liquidy cake batter. I think there may be entirely too much batter for this cake.
This was amazing! The cake element was just the right texture – moist and rich – and paired very well with the cheese cake element. I subbed in coffee extract in both batters and it was a big hit. I made it a second time for Christmas with peppermint extract in the cheesecake batter and topped with some candy cane bits along with the cookie crumbles and and it didn’t disappoint again! This is our new favorite.