Chocolate Cheese Boston Recipe

Prepare

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line the bottom of two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment. Lightly grease and flour the sides.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine thoroughly.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, hot water, and vanilla until combined. Hot water helps bloom the cocoa and makes a tender cake.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined and no large lumps remain. Batter will be fairly thin.

Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans (use a kitchen scale or measure by eye). Smooth the tops with a spatula.

Bake on the center rack for 22–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter.

Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert onto racks. Remove parchment and cool completely to room temperature (important before assembling with cheesecake filling).

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) if you plan to bake the cheesecake layer inside the cake; alternatively see no-bake note below. For best texture, use room-temperature cream cheese.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 2–3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add the sugar and beat until incorporated and mixture is smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until combined. Do not overmix.

Beat in the sour cream until smooth. If you want a chocolate-tinged cheese layer, sift in the 2 tablespoons of cocoa and fold gently until uniform.

If you prefer a baked cheesecake layer: transfer the cream cheese mixture to an 8-inch springform pan (or ringed cake pan) lined with parchment and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 25–30 minutes, until the center is set but still slightly jiggly. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours before assembly. If you prefer to assemble without additional baking (no-bake approach): whip 1/2 cup cold heavy cream to soft peaks and fold 1/3 of it into the cream cheese to loosen, then fold in the remainder gently. Chill the mixture 1 hour to firm slightly before stacking.

Make the ganache: place the chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles form at the edge. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth. Stir in the butter and powdered sugar until glossy. Let the ganache cool and thicken to a pourable but not runny consistency, about 10–15 minutes at room temperature.

If your cheesecake layer is baked and chilled: remove it from the springform and level the top with a long serrated knife if needed. If using the no-bake cheese filling, chill it until slightly firm and level the top before assembling.

Trim the tops of the chocolate cake layers if they domed, so you have two even cakes. Place one cake layer on your serving plate or a cake board.

If using a separate baked cheesecake disk: place the chilled cheesecake on top of the first chocolate cake layer. If using the no-bake cheese mixture: pipe or spread a 1–1.25 inch (2.5–3 cm) thick round of the cheese layer onto the first chocolate cake layer, leaving a small margin at the edge to prevent overflow, then freeze 10 minutes to set slightly.

Top with the second chocolate cake layer and press gently to settle the layers. Chill the assembled cake 20–30 minutes to firm the filling and make ganache application easier.

Pour the cooled ganache over the center of the cake, using an offset spatula to encourage it to run toward the edges and drizzle slightly down the sides for a smooth finish. If you prefer a thicker coat, chill briefly and apply a second thin layer.

Dust a light amount of cocoa powder over the top for a finished look. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to set the ganache and meld flavors.

Before serving, let the cake sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes for easier slicing. Use a hot, dry knife wiped between cuts for clean slices.