This brownie cake has chocolate cake layers with brownie batter baked into the cake. It is topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting. It turns out brownie and cake are an amazing combination!

Close up of a split in half brownie cake.

This brownie cake combines the best qualities of chocolate cake and fudgy brownies into one ultimate dessert. I love chocolate and I have never seen a recipe that combined brownie into a cake this way before and just HAD to experiment to see if it was good.
I have tips and tricks and process photos to easily help you make this recipe! If you love brownie desserts, you have to try my brownie rolls.

Slice of cake on a plate.

Tips for making the cake

Here are my tips, so yours turns out like this recipe! See also my chocolate cream cheese frosting for tips of making the frosting.

  • Tip 1: Don’t overpack your flour. If you stick your measuring cup into the flour, it will compact it down. This leads to more flour and a drier cake.
  • Tip 2: Make sure to pull out your dairy ingredients 2 hours before using. To have cake batter and frosting that blends well, your ingredients need to be room temperature.
  • Tip 3: Make the chocolate cake batter before the brownie batter. The longer brownie batter sits, the thicker it gets.
  • Tip 4: Use a small 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop 5 dollops of brownie batter per cake layer. Then, use a butter knife to swirl it in.
  • Tip 5: Make the chocolate frosting right before you need it for best results.
Chocolate cake batter in a bowl.
Make sure to whisk out 90% of the flour lumps.
Brownie batter in a bowl.
Use a baking rubber spatula to stir in the chocolate chips.
Brownie scoops on top of cake batter.
Scoop 5 dollops of brownie batter.
Swirled cake batter in a pan.
Lightly swirl in the batter into the cake
Cake on a wire rack.
There will be brownie batter on the top of the cake.
Chocolate frosting in a bowl.
Make sure the butter and cream cheese are the same temperature so the frosting doesn’t split.

Assembling and Decorating

Frosting on top of cake layer.
Spread 1 cup of frosting per cake layer
Decorated cake on a board.
I decorated this cake in a semi naked look with store bought brownies on top of decoration.
Split in half brownie cake on a board.

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For more brownie recipes, try my brownie bites and cheesecake brownies.

Bite missing from brownie cake on a plate.

Make sure to leave a star review if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.

Recipe Video

Close up of a split in half brownie cake.
5 from 28 reviews

Brownie Cake

Stephanie Rutherford
This brownie cake has chocolate cake layers with brownie batter baked into the cake. It is topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 33 minutes
Decorating Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 3 minutes
Servings: 16 slices

Ingredients
 
 

Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
  • 4 Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup Oil, canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 cup Hot water, steaming

Brownie Batter

  • 1 cup White granulated sugar
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 1/4 cup Unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup Oil
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 TBSP Cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups Unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups Powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat the oven 350°F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with baking nonstick spray. Line the pans with 8-inch parchment paper circles and spray again.
  • In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Set aside.
    2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp Baking soda, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Salt, 1 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
  • In a small pan on the stove over high heat, heat the water until steaming. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk. Then, slowly mix in the hot water. Tip: Go slow so you don't over heat the eggs.
    4 Large eggs, 1 cup Oil, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1 cup Buttermilk, 1 cup Hot water
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. Pour evenly between the 3 cake pans. Set aside while you make the brownie batter.

Brownie Batter

  • In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl using a mixer, beat the sugar and eggs on high speed for 5 minutes.
    1 cup White granulated sugar, 1/3 cup All-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 TBSP Cornstarch, 1/4 tsp Salt, 2 Large eggs
  • Add the vanilla, oil, and melted butter and mix on low speed until just combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
    1/4 cup Unsalted butter, 1/4 cup Oil, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • Take off the mixer and use a rubber spatula and mix in the chocolate chips.
    1/2 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Use a cookie scoop to scoop the brownie batter evenly between the three cake pans. There should be evenly spaced brownie dollops. Use a kitchen knife to lightly swirl it in.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
  • Let it sit for 10 minutes in the hot pans before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Set aside.
    3 cups Powdered sugar, 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Using a mixing bowl with a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed for 3 minutes. It will light and fluffy.
    8 oz Cream cheese, 2 cups Unsalted butter
  • Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix on low.
  • Add in the vanilla and beat on high speed until creamy. The frosting will get slightly lighter in color.
    1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Assembling the Cake

  • Use a serrated knife to cut the domes off the cakes.
  • Place the 1st cake layer down and spread 1 cup of frosting over the cake. Repeat with the second cake layer. Place the last layer of cake with the bottom of the cake facing up.
  • Frost the cake in a very light layer of frosting. Freeze for 15 minutes to set the frosting.
  • Frost the rest of the cake.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cake and cause it to be dense.
High altitude baking- Add an extra 2 TBSP of flour.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Calories: 652kcal, Carbohydrates: 83g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 47g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 442mg, Potassium: 262mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 838IU, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 3mg
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