Brownie Batter Butter Cake
The irresistible textures and flavors of classic gooey butter cake are transformed into this rich, fudgy chocolate version. A moist chocolate cake is topped with a layer of silky brownie batter before baking. As it bakes, the batter stays soft and fudgy, creating a luscious brownie-batter topping with a delicate crackly brownie crust on top. It’s the best of both worlds. Chocolate cake and brownie in one decadent dessert!
Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake
If you’ve ever had a slice of St. Louis gooey butter cake, you already know why it’s impossible to stop at one bite. That signature combination of a soft, buttery cake topped with a rich, gooey layer is pure comfort food. So naturally, I had to ask the question: What if it were chocolate?
The answer is this Brownie Batter Butter Cake.
It starts with a deeply chocolatey cake that’s incredibly moist and tender, then gets topped with a silky chocolate batter before it heads into the oven. As it bakes, that batter transforms into a rich, fudgy layer that looks and tastes just like brownie batter. It doesn’t bake into a brownie, and it doesn’t dry out or crack. Instead, it stays irresistibly soft, creamy, and gooey, giving you two completely different textures in every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made completely from scratch. No cake mix required!
- Two incredible chocolate textures in every bite.
- Rich, fudgy topping that stays soft after baking.
- Perfect for parties, potlucks, holidays, or whenever a chocolate craving hits.
- Tastes delicious when it’s fresh and warm or chilled and cold.
Tips for Baking Success
This cake appears highly specialized, but is actually so easy to make! Here’s what you need to know:
Chocolate Cake
- Dutch-process cocoa powder – This is the alkalized version of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, giving it a darker color and smoother taste. Don’t substitute it!
- Flour – Always weigh your ingredients if possible. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, spoon and level the flour instead. This will ensure you don’t use too much.
- Mixing – Mix just until the flour disappears and you reach one even consistency. Over mixing can lead to a tough cake.
Brownie Batter
- Cream Cheese – Use room temperature cream cheese to prevent any lumps. Philadelphia full fat cream cheese always yields the best flavor and consistency!
- Whisk – Really give the batter a good whisk at the end. It should turn silky, smooth, and pourable.
- Pouring – Pour the batter over the center of the spread cake batter. It will spread itself out towards the edges.
- Done – It’s ready when the top looks like brownies – puffed with a dry, paper thin surface.
The Gooey Brownie Batter Top
Traditional gooey butter cakes are made with a cake mix base and a gooey topping that consists of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and egg.
It bakes up into a creamy, custard-like consistency that pairs beautifully with the moist cake underneath.
So to transform this into a brownie batter top, it’s mixed with a bit of cocoa powder. It’s a simple addition that makes all the difference. It slightly thickens the topping, creating a more fudgy, brownie batter consistency. It also cuts through the cream cheese flavor, leaving you with a topping that tastes more like brownie batter rather than cheesecake.
And due to the powdered sugar, it bakes with that signature brownie paper top. I love how the surface looks like a brownie, but underneath it is so much more!
Brownie Batter Butter Cake FAQs:
Yes! Just swap the all-purpose flour with the same weigh in cup for cup gluten-free baking flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill (the blue bag) or King Arthur measure for measure.
I wouldn’t suggest this as it will reduce the richness of the cake. If anything you can swap the oil with melted refined coconut oil. Just make sure all chilled ingredients are at room temperature before mixing them in.
Any milk should work, whole milk will just give the best results.
Dutch-process cocoa powder and natural unsweetened cocoa powder can’t typically be swapped for one another as they container different levels of acidity. For the best results, stick with Dutch-process for this recipe.
This should also work in a 9″ square pan. I haven’t tried it, but it could also potentially be doubled and baked in a 9×13 pan.
Absolutely. A day ahead would be perfect. I actually really enjoy this cake cold as well, but you can bring it up to room temperature before serving.
Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The fudgy topping stays soft even after chilling.
Yes. Wrap individual slices or the entire cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature before serving.
For more chocolate desserts, check out my:
- Moist Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes
- Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Life Changing Chocolate Pie
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make this brownie batter butter cake. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
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Brownie Batter Butter Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices
Description
This Brownie Batter Butter Cake is a chocolate twist on classic gooey butter cake. A moist chocolate cake is baked with a layer of silky brownie batter on top, creating a rich, fudgy topping with a delicate crackly crust. It’s the perfect combination of chocolate cake and brownie in every bite.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (54g) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (33g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60g) whole milk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (128g) all-purpose flour or 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, spooned and leveled
Brownie Batter Cream
- 8 oz full fat cream cheese, room temp
- 3 cups (330g) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup (25g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (45g) mini chocolate chips, for topping
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease the inside of a 9” springform pan. Remove the ring and place a sheet of parchment paper over the bottom plate. Return the ring to now have a fully covered bottom.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, and sugar until well blended. Then whisk in the cocoa powder until fully combined. Now whisk in the egg and vanilla, followed by the milk.
- Whisk in the baking powder and salt to distribute, then whisk in the flour until you reach a thick and fudgy batter. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Set aside.
Brownie Batter Cream
- IMPORTANT NOTE: When measuring the powdered sugar, don’t scoop your cup directly into the sugar. This will pack it down into the cup and make the topping way too sweet. Instead (if you don’t have a kitchen scale), spoon the sugar into your measuring cup and level it off.
- In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix and mash together the cream cheese with 1 cup (110g) of powdered sugar. Continue mixing in one cup at a time until smooth, then mix in the cocoa powder. It will turn pretty thick and dry, so now add in the egg and whisk until completely smooth and glossy.
- Pour over the cake batter, primarily pouring in the center and allowing it to naturally self level. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is a sheet of glossy paper, like a brownie, and is evenly puffed.
- Allow to cool in the pan for about 45 minutes or until slightly warm. Then it’s ready to serve!
- To store, keep in a container in the refrigerator. It also tastes really good chilled.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
