The most beautiful, delicious layered cake! Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Cake is exactly what you were looking for. Two rich chocolate cakes with a sweet cheesecake center. Topped with caramel frosting, chocolate ganache, and more salted caramel sauce.
Love salted caramel? Be sure to try this reader favorite Salted Caramel Cookie recipe! Or these thick and fudgy Salted Caramel Brownies.
Why this Recipe is Best
You don’t have to choose between cheesecake and layer cake. Cheesecake Cakes are the delicious marriage of two favorite desserts.
You may remember our first version, this Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake recipe. Well, lucky for you I didn’t stop there!
This Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Cake combines rich chocolate with sweet caramel with the perfect hint of sea salt. And you simply can’t beat the layer of creamy cheesecake in the middle!
- With this recipe, you can make the cheesecakes ahead of time and stash them in the freezer. Then, when you’re ready for a cheesecake cake, just bake up a box of cake mix and assemble!
- Or go ahead and make everything the same day. It’s hard to wait when you know this Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cake is on the dessert menu.
For more salted caramel flavor, give our delicious salted caramel mocha truffles a try. Keep a batch in the freezer for later.
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate cake mix. You can’t beat the convenience of your favorite boxed mix. Or make your cake from scratch with this dark chocolate cake recipe. Both are amazing!
- Caramel sauce. I have used both homemade caramel sauce or a store bought sauce in this recipe.
- Kosher salt. Use a coarse salt such as kosher salt or sea salt crystals for topping the cheesecake cake.
Easy Instructions
Make the cheesecake.
- Beat together the cheesecake ingredients, then bake in a parchment lined spring form pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven over a roasting pan filled with boiling water. This “steam bath” helps bake the cheesecake evenly and give it its amazing consistency.
- After the cheesecake has cooled, you can transfer it right to the fridge or freezer to chill.
Chocolate Cake layer.
- Bake the boxed cake mix according to package directions in two 9 inch cake pans (or make our moist chocolate cake recipe).
Frost and Assemble.
- To assemble the cake, top one of the cake layers with the cheesecake, then add the second cake layer on top.
- Spread buttercream frosting over the sides and top.
Chill the frosted salted caramel cheesecake cake while you make the ganache. Once the chocolate ganache is ready, spread it on top of the frosted cheesecake cake.
Drizzle with more caramel sauce and sprinkle with coarse salt before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Plan to make Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cake a day in advance. I made the cheesecake one night, then the next morning I baked the cake layers. In the afternoon I whipped up the frosting and assembled the cake. I then refrigerated the cake and made the ganache the following morning. We enjoyed the cake that afternoon.
- You can make the cheesecake layer further in advance by wrapping tightly and storing in the freezer until ready to use.
- Refrigerate the cake once it’s frosted. The cold frosting stands up to the warm ganache. Speaking of ganache, allow it too cool slightly before adding to the cake. Otherwise it would be a disaster.
- Slice yourself the first piece, because this cake will go fast, and you earned it!
Recipe FAQs
No, you should not top this cake with table salt. If you don’t have kosher salt or coarse sea salt, don’t add any salt on top of the cake. You’ll still have a deliciously sweet Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Cake!
I only leave the bottom of the springform pan on the cheesecake when freezing or chilling.
Yes, I recommend keeping the cheesecake cake chilled until you’re ready to serve.
The frozen cheesecake only takes a couple of hours to thaw. You can take it out of the freezer and let it thaw while you bake the layer cakes.
More Cheesecake Cakes
- Carrot Cake Cheesecake Cake
- Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Cake
- Eggnog Cheesecake cake
- Lemon Cheesecake Cake
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake
Easy Cake Recipes
See all Cake recipes
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Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
Ingredients
For the cheesecake:
- 2 packages cream cheese, softened 8 ounce each
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the cake:
- 1 recipe chocolate layer cake 9=inch layers- homemade or cake mix is fine
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup caramel sauce homemade caramel sauce or jarred is fine
- 4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the ganache:
- 4 ounce dark chocolate
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons caramel sauce
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
For the cheesecake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a large roasting pan on the lower 2/3 of the oven, preheat the pan too!
- Prepare springform pan by wrapping bottom of pan (outside) with double layer of foil. Spray pan with nonstick baking spray and line bottom (inside) with a circle of parchment paper. Meanwhile, boil a kettle of water to use later.
- Beat cream cheese with granulate sugar for 2-3 minutes until creamy. Add in salt and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in sour cream, heavy cream and vanilla. Pour into prepared 9inch springform pan. Place pan in center of preheated roasting pan in the oven. Pour boiling water slowly into the roasting pan, until there is about an inch of water coming up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake cheesecake for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and let cheesecake sit in oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely on counter.
- When cooled, transfer entire springform pan into the freezer for several hours or overnight. I put it in freezer for about 2 hours. **If using within 24 hours, feel free to just refrigerate cheesecake!
For the cake layer:
- Prepare chocolate cake according to package directions for 9 inch cake. Or, like me, prepare a homemade dark chocolate layer cake using THIS recipe
For the frosting:
- Beat butter in a large mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy. Add caramel sauce, powdered sugar, milk and kosher salt.
- Beat for 4-5 minutes until soft and creamy.
To assemble:
- On a cake platter, lay one layer of chocolate cake, top with the cheesecake. Then add the other layer of chocolate cake. Spread frosting over entire cake, sides and top.
- Refrigerate frosted cake while you prepare the chocolate ganache.
For the ganache:
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine dark chocolate with heavy cream. Heat 30 seconds. Stir and heat an additional 30 seconds. Whisk for several minutes until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
- Once cooled. Spread over top of chilled cake. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp of caramel sauce and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve!
Notes
- Plan to make Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cake a day in advance. I made the cheesecake one night, then the next morning I baked the cake layers. In the afternoon I whipped up the frosting and assembled the cake. I then refrigerated the cake and made the ganache the following morning. We enjoyed the cake that afternoon.
- You can make the cheesecake layer further in advance by wrapping tightly and storing in the freezer until ready to use.
- Refrigerate the cake once it’s frosted. The cold frosting stands up to the warm ganache. Speaking of ganache, allow it too cool slightly before adding to the cake. Otherwise it would be a disaster.
- Slice yourself the first piece, because this cake will go fast, and you earned it!
- See the blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Decadence never looked so good! This Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake is sure to get plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs.” And it tastes even better than it looks!
Thank you for including a link to my recipe for Margarita Cheesecake Cake, Amy! I have missed you and your blog and am so happy to be back blogging again. Wishing you and your family all this best this holiday season and for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
I am in the process of making this right now! The chocolate cake is made, the cheesecake is finishing in the oven. I am going to assemble tomorrow, but I have a question. Did you cut one chocolate cake horizontally for the layers or is it two separate 9 in chocolate cakes? Thank you for the help on clarifying this for me!
Two separate 9in cakes. The batter for the chocolate cake she cited makes two 1″ cakes. I made them today too! They rose perfectly, although I did have to bake them an extra 3-5 minutes but that could be my fault for Being nosy and opening the oven to check on them.
This is the best thing I’ve seen all night and I’ve been browsing Pinterest for what seems like forever! I am absolutely making this next week!! Just have a question :). How exactly are you putting the cheesecake onto the cake? What method works best?
Just wanted to say this recipe was amazing but I chose to halve it because it’s just too much for one dessert. Took longer but fantastic! Loved it. Will definitely make it again.
Can you make this the day before serving?
Sure can! Keep it in the fridge 🙂
If you freeze the cheesecake, do you need to let it defrost at all before layering? If not, what kind of timeframe do you recommend for assembling it with frozen cheesecake before you serve it?
It’s easier to assemble when the cheesecake is semi-frozen. I froze the cakes, but I wouldn’t recommend it because I found that the cake/cheesecake didn’t bond together and when serving it fell apart a little. I would warm the cakes after assembly but before frosting so that doesn’t happen. Just a thought.
Could you please tell me what kind of dark chocolate you use in the ganache? And is it sweetened or unsweetened? Thanks.
I used Baker’s chocolate semi sweet. Found at any supermarket or bulk foods store.
I made this cheesecake the other day and it was really good but wasn’t a fan of the frosting it was to much better for me but this is a really good recipe 🙂
This looks amazing !
I like chocolate cake.Thanks for the recipe.
One question though?newbie in baking here,i was just wondering how can i layer the cheesecake w/o ruining it? And is it ok if i cant bake my cheesecake without using baine marie?ive only got a small oven.thanks for answering.
You can definitely do this without the water bath, since that’s what prevents cracking in your cheesecake (and your cheesecake will be layered in the cake so it doesn’t matter much). As for the layers, just gently stack them on top of each other. ENJOY.
Drrrooooooooooling.
Wow! It looks like a labor of love but definitely well worth the effort!
This is one purdy cake. I love the cheesecake center. Nom!
Look at that gorgeous chocolate that is inprisoning the cake. Plus their is cake and cheesecake and salted caramel. Yep, looks like I need a slice of that!
I love any recipe that uses the word “cake” twice. 😀 And all the salted caramel goodness!
For my birthday?! You’re so sweet! Best cake ever!
I’m a huge fan of caramel… and I think I have just found my birthday cake! 😉
This dessert looks positively sinful!! In a good way 😉 That peppermint version is my absolute favorite variety of these cheesecake cakes of yours but I have to say that this one comes in a close second! 🙂
Thank you Renee! I love the peppermint version as well 🙂
What a gorgeous cake! It looks perfect and so incredibly yummy!!!!
Thank you 🙂
*swoon* I’m so in love with this cake – yum yum yum … I think thanksgiving dinner, just got a new dessert 😉
I think that sounds like a fabulous plan!!
Love everything about this cake! So many great layers and flavors wrapped up in one cake!
Thank you Jessica 🙂