Chocolate nut cake! Every bite offers a 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!!

Chocolate nut cake on a plate with nuts in the background.

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

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

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Why you'll love this recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Substitutions
Instructions
Pro tips
FAQ
Storage
Related
📖 Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Incredible Texture: The chocolate walnut cake has a moist, fudgy texture that's dense in the best way, while the frosting is smooth, silky, and creamy.
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. My Nutella brownies and chocolate mascarpone mousse are easy too!

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.

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. Check out my cupcakes with coffee as well.
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. Check out my chocolate mousse cake too!
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: If you love chocolate cake with nuts substitute walnuts with chopped almonds for a slightly different nutty flavor and a bit more crunch.
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. My orange chocolate cupcakes are amazing.
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

All purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.

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

Eggs, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla in a bowl.

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

Dry ingredients for chocolate cake being mixed with some of the wet ingredients in a bowl.

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

Chocolate cake batter in a bowl being mixed.

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

Toasted chopped walnuts being folded into chocolate cake batter.

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

Cocoa powder and powdered sugar in a bowl whisked together.

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

Room temperature butter, cream cheese, and sour cream in a bowl on the counter.

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

Chocolate cream cheese frosting with sour cream in a bowl.

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.

Choco nut cake on a plate showing the texture of the cake.

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

Can I make this in a round pan?

Yes! Make sure to line the pan and grease it well. It will be enough batter for one pan, the baking time may vary, depending on an 8 inch or 9 inch pan.

How do I store this chocolate walnut cake?

Store the unfrosted cake on the counter wrapped well. Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, refrigerating cake dries it out, I recommend freezing it in individual slices and taking it out a few hours before eating it.

Can I make this in a round pan?

Yes! An 8 inch round pan may need a bit more time in the oven, I'd check on it after 22 minutes and rotate it.

Chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting and walnuts on top.

Storage

Room Temperature

Store the unfrosted chocolate nut 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.

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