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Lemon Chocolate Cake

4.29 from 7 votes
prep 20 minutes
cook 35 minutes
1 hour
total 1 hour 55 minutes
Serves 16 servings
Turned my FAVORITE black cocoa cake into a lemon chocolate cake with a layer of mascarpone lemon cream and lemon curd between the layers and on top of the cake! 
Servings 16 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Black Cocoa Cake

  • 240 grams cake flour
  • 80 grams black cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 350 grams granulated sugar
  • 160 mL canola oil, or any neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 150 grams sour cream
  • 240 mL hot coffee, I use Americano

Lemon Syrup

  • 60 mL water
  • 25 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 large lemon - zest and juice

Lemon Cream

  • 227 grams mascarpone, cold
  • 120 grams powdered sugar
  • 360 mL heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 360 grams lemon curd , I used a whole jar of Bone Maman*
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • tiny pinch fine sea salt

Method

Black Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F (I use convection cuz my oven runs really hot at the bottom - conventional is also fine) and grease and line an 8x3 inch or two 8x2 inch baking pans with baking spray and parchment paper (I did one cake pan and sliced them into thirds but if you bake three layers, you'll get about 14-15 ounces in each).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until they’re evenly distributed.
    240 grams cake flour, 80 grams black cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tbsp baking powder
  3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs and sour cream until they’re well combined and smooth.
    350 grams granulated sugar, 160 mL canola oil or any neutral oil, 2 large eggs room temperature, 150 grams sour cream
  4. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet and whisk them together, just a little - about halfway or so.
  5. Pour in the hot coffee and whisk until the batter is completely smooth and all the dry ingredients are combined.
    240 mL hot coffee I use Americano
  6. Scrape the edge of the bowl and give it a good mix. Pour into prepared cake tin(s).
  7. Bake for 40ish minutes (or 15-20 minutes if baking three separate layers), until the tallest part of the cake, in the center, springs back when you press on it. If you’re hesitant, give it another minute or so.
  8. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes in the pan, then flip over onto a tea towel and let the cake cool upside down for 30 minutes or so before flipping back over.
  9. Once it's cooled, slice the cake in half.

Lemon Syrup

  1. Mix together the water, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a small pot over medium heat for a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool for a few minutes. Brush half of the syrup onto each cake (on the sliced side).
    25 grams granulated sugar, 1 large lemon - zest and juice, 60 mL water

Lemon Cream

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat together the cold mascarpone with the powdered sugar until it’s completely smooth.
    227 grams mascarpone cold, 120 grams powdered sugar
  2. Add the vanilla bean paste and turn the mixer to medium speed.
  3. Stream in the cold heavy whipping cream in 3-4 increments, stopping to scrape the edge of the bowl each time.
    360 mL heavy whipping cream cold
  4. Once all the heavy whipping cream is added, it may seem soft so turn the mixer up to full speed and it should thicken and hold peaks within a couple of minutes. Don’t over-beat once you’ve reached this stage.
  5. Add half of the lemon curd, salt and vanilla and mix just until it’s combined.
    360 grams lemon curd I used a whole jar of Bone Maman*, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, tiny pinch fine sea salt
  6. Spread half of the cream onto the first layer of cake. Drizzle some more curd on top of the cream and repeat with the top layer. Top with lemon slices.

Notes

This cake makes one tall 8 inch cake or two shorter ones. I made the one tall and sliced it into thirds. You could also leave it as two layers or do four layers if you prefer. Obviously with thinner or thicker layers of cream between depending on the amount of layers. 
*I used 1 jar of bone maman. If you find Dickinson's, get two jars or make one batch at home. 

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 6gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 256mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 2gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 620IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 1mg
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black cake, black cocoa cake, chocolate, chocolate cake, dark chocolate, lemon, lemon cake, lemon chocolate cake