Chocolate Cake with Passion Fruit Cheesecake Filling

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 37 mins | Course: Dessert | Serves: 12

Tender chocolate cake with a passion fruit no-bake cheesecake filling spread generously over each layer and then topped with a very thick layer of dark chocolate ganache. You’ll have a little bit of the ganache leftover to make truffles with if you so desire. Inspired by Ashley, of Gather & Feast https://www.gatherandfeast.com/chocolate-passionfruit-layer-cake 

Chocolate Cake:

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 cup brown sugar 

½ cup sugar 

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

1 cup buttermilk 

¾ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp vanilla 

2 eggs

¾ cup hot coffee 

Passion Fruit Cheesecake:

2 8-oz cream cheese, softened 

½ cup powdered sugar 

1 cup frozen passion fruit chunks 

1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste 

Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream

10 oz dark chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350*. Butter or spray oil 2 9”- round cake pans and set to one side. Measure flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a stand mixing bowl with a paddle attachment and stir on low to disperse ingredients. Add buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla, and eggs. Mix on low briefly until eggs are mixed in, then add coffee and mix until just combined. Spread evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out batter-free, or registers a minimum of 200° when tested with an instant thermometer.

In a clean mixing bowl, whip cream cheese, powdered sugar, passion fruit, and vanilla paste until creamy and smooth. 

Place a cooled cake on a cake plate, serving platter, or board. Spread with half of the cheesecake filling. Top with the remaining cake and the last of the filling. 

To make the ganache, heat cream in a large liquid measurer or large microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature. 

Spoon a generous layer of ganache on top of the cake and allow some of it to spill over the sides. Refrigerate any unused portion of ganache for another use…(maybe passion fruit truffles).