Chocolate Walnut Cake

Chocolate walnut cake, where every bite offers a luscious depth of chocolate, complemented by the crunch of walnuts woven throughout. This decadent treat is crowned with the dreamiest cream cheese and sour cream frosting, silky smooth with just the right tang!!

A sprinkle of toasted walnuts adds the perfect finishing touch. The best part? It’s fuss-free, requiring only one bowl, yet delivering a dense, flavorful cake that’s pure bliss. The frosting alone is a revelation—so velvety and delicious, it could make anything taste heavenly.

This cake is perfect for any occasion, whether you're celebrating a special event or simply craving a rich chocolate indulgence. Its combination of deep chocolate flavor and crunchy walnuts makes it an irresistible treat, especially for the chocolate nut lover in your life.

With its stunning appearance and unforgettable taste, this cake is sure to be a hit at parties or as a well-deserved personal treat!!

Love chocolate and cake? Check out my chocolate cake with cream cheese icing, orange chocolate cake, chocolate and cranberry cake, chocolate mousse cake, strawberry mousse cake, Nutella brownies, chocolate mascarpone mousse, cupcakes with coffee, and cookie pie!

Why you'll love this recipe

• Incredible Texture: The cake has a moist, fudgy texture that's dense in the best way, while the frosting is smooth, silky, and luxuriously creamy, with just the right amount of tang from the cream cheese and sour cream.
• Perfect Flavor Combo: The combination of rich chocolate and crunchy walnuts creates a lovely contrast that chocolate nut lovers will adore. The toasted walnuts on top add an extra layer of flavor and crunch.
• Easy to Make: This recipe is fuss-free and requires only one bowl, making it a simple yet impressive dessert that delivers gourmet results without the hassle.

Equipment

A metal baking pan is ideal for baking cakes due to its excellent heat conduction, which ensures even baking and a uniform rise, preventing hot spots and resulting in a perfectly textured cake. Additionally, metal pans are durable and versatile, capable of withstanding high temperatures without warping, making them a reliable choice for a variety of baking needs beyond just cakes.

Ingredients

ingredients needed for choco nut cake!

• Sour Cream (in the Cake): Adds moisture and tenderness to the cake, creating a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Sour Cream (in the Frosting): Contributes a tangy flavor that balances the sweetness and enhances the creaminess of the frosting.
• Coffee (in the Cake): Intensifies the chocolate flavor, making it richer and more pronounced, without adding a coffee taste.
• High-Quality Natural Cocoa Powder: Essential for a deep, authentic chocolate flavor. Using high-quality cocoa makes a noticeable difference in the cake's richness.
• Cream Cheese (in the Frosting): Provides a smooth, creamy texture that’s both velvety and slightly tangy, making the frosting irresistibly delicious.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These leavening agents work together to give the cake its perfect rise, creating a light and airy texture while ensuring it’s not too dense. The combination also helps neutralize the acidity of the sour cream, resulting in a well-balanced flavor.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

• Almonds: Substitute walnuts with chopped almonds for a slightly different nutty flavor and a bit more crunch. Almonds pair beautifully with chocolate and add a subtle sweetness.
• Orange Zest (in the Cake): Add a tablespoon of fresh orange zest to the batter for a bright, citrusy twist. The orange flavor complements the rich chocolate and adds a refreshing contrast.
• Espresso Powder (in the Frosting): Mix in a teaspoon of espresso powder to the frosting for a deeper, more intense coffee flavor that enhances the chocolate and adds a sophisticated touch.

This cake recipe has not been tested with other substitutions. These are just suggestions.

Instructions

Step 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt. Set aside

Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg. Add the melted butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Step 3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Step 4. Mix in half of the hot coffee into the batter, mixing until fully incorporated. Add the rest of the coffee

Step 5. Fold in the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Step 6. Whisk together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar until the lumps are gone.

Step 7. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, butter, and sour cream until smooth.

Step 8. Add half of the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, beat until smooth, add the other half, beat until smooth. Beat on high for 1-2 minutes, making sure to scrap down the bowl and until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.

Hint: Line the 8X8 baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and clean up! Always toast nuts if they are not toasted, it really brings out the flavor and texture.

Pro tips

• Don’t skip the coffee in the recipe; it doesn’t impart a coffee flavor but rather intensifies the other flavors in the cake, providing a richer taste without a noticeable coffee taste. the coffee in two separate batches, it will mix better and it ensures it’s evenly distributed throughout the cake batter.
• Whisk the cocoa powder with the dry ingredients, cocoa powder can be very lumpy. A whisk is much easier than sifting.
• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before using it for the frosting; cold cream cheese can result in a lumpy texture that’s difficult to smooth out.
• Avoid over baking the cake by starting to check it a few minutes before the recommended baking time ends, as oven temperatures can vary and affect baking times.
• Toast the walnuts. Toasting nuts brings out the flavor and makes the texture much better- more crisp and not as soggy. I roast mine in the oven at 350° for 10 minutes.

FAQ

Storage

Room Temperature

Store the unfrosted chocolate walnut cake on the counter wrapped well. Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, refrigerating cake dries it out.

Freezer

Wrap the chocolate nut cake well, store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let the cake thaw at room temperature for a few hours before eating.

Related

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📖 Recipe

Chocolate Walnut Cake

Amanda Valsamis

Chocolate walnut cake! Every bite offers a luscious depth of chocolate, complemented by the crunch of walnuts woven throughout. Crowned with the dreamiest cream cheese and sour cream frosting, silky smooth with just the right tang!!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 8 pieces

Equipment

• Hand held or stand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Baking pan
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup (142 grams) all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup (28 grams) natural cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup (72 grams) sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (56 grams) melted unsalted butter you can also use vegetable oil
• ½ cup (104 grams) strong hot coffee
• ½ cup (68 grams) walnuts toasted and chopped

Frosting

• 4 oz (111 grams) cream cheese room temperature, full fat, brick style
• 5 tablespoons (71 grams) salted butter room temperature, if you do not have salted, add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (57 grams) natural cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup (72 grams) sour cream full fat
• 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
• ½ cup (68 grams) walnuts toasted and chopped

Instructions

 

Chocolate Cake

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8X8 pan with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg. Add the melted butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
• Mix in half of the hot coffee into the batter, mixing until fully incorporated. Add the rest of the coffee. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

• Whisk together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar until the lumps are gone.
• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, butter, and sour cream until smooth.
• Add half of the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, beat until smooth, add the other half, beat until smooth.
• Beat on high for 1-2 minutes, making sure to scrap down the bowl and until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
• Top the cooled down cake with the frosting and sprinkle the walnuts on top evenly.

Notes

Don’t skip the coffee in the recipe; it doesn’t impart a coffee flavor but rather intensifies the other flavors in the cake, providing a richer taste without a noticeable coffee taste. the coffee in two separate batches, it will mix better and it ensures it’s evenly distributed throughout the cake batter.

Whisk the cocoa powder with the dry ingredients, cocoa powder can be very lumpy. A whisk is much easier than sifting.

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before using it for the frosting; cold cream cheese can result in a lumpy texture that’s difficult to smooth out.

Avoid over baking the cake by starting to check it a few minutes before the recommended baking time ends, as oven temperatures can vary and affect baking times.

Toast the walnuts. Toasting nuts brings out the flavor and makes the texture much better- more crisp and not as soggy. I roast mine in the oven at 350° for 10 minutes.

Room Temperature

Store the unfrosted chocolate and walnut cake on the counter wrapped well. Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, refrigerating cake dries it out.

Freezer

Wrap the chocolate nut cake well, store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let the cake thaw at room temperature for a few hours before eating.

 

 

 

Cake recipe adapted from Scientifically Sweet