This delicious layered chocolate cake really has the wow factor. Mixing chocolate with peanut butter and angel food cake, this tastes heavenly and is sinfully addictive!
There are a few reasons why this layered chocolate cake is named the Heaven and Hell Cake. First and most obvious, it tastes like heaven, but it’s also hell to make. At least that’s what I was thinking the entire time. But it’s totally worth it – utterly decadent! I switched up the typical recipe and used my beloved chocolate cake recipe instead of Devil’s Food Cake and tried out a new angel food cake recipe via here. For the peanut butter filling and ganache sauce, see below. Hope you enjoy this delicious Heaven and Hell Cake recipe! YUM!!
How To Make A Layered Chocolate Cake – Step By Step
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all of the dry ingredients together.
- Add in the eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in the boiling water.
- Divide batter into two 9 inch round pans that have been sprayed. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center of the cake is done.
- If you take it out too early, the middle will collapse.
Angel Food Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Be sure that your 10-inch tube pan is clean and dry. Any amount of oil or residue could deflate the egg whites.
- Sift together the flour, and 3/4 cup of the sugar, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whip the egg whites along with the vanilla, cream of tartar and salt, to medium-stiff peaks.
- Gradually add the remaining sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks.
- When the egg white mixture has reached its maximum volume, fold in the sifted ingredients gradually, one third at a time. Do not overmix.
- Put the batter into the tube pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake springs back when touched. Balance the tube pan upside down on the top of a bottle, to prevent decompression while cooling. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a plate.
Peanut Butter Filling
- Beat the cream cheese on high until soft.
- Add in the peanut butter and sugar and continue to beat.
- Then add in the heavy cream and mix until smooth.
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan, then remove from heat.
- Add in the chocolate morsels and let them sit for a few minutes.
- Then whisk until thick.
- You can refrigerate it for an hour or so until desired consistency.
Cake Assembly
- Cut each cake (chocolate and angel food cake) straight through the middle, horizontally.
- Place 1/2 of the chocolate cake on the bottom, then add a layer of peanut butter filling, then angel food cake, peanut butter filling, chocolate cake, peanut butter filling, angel food cake.
- Once the cake is assembled frost with the ganache!!
A Decadent Layered Chocolate Cake – Perfect For Special Occasions!
This is definitely a cake that you would only make for a special occasion (ahem a holiday or bday!) because it’s very time-consuming. Heaven and Hell Cake is a chocolate cake layered with angel food cake and a peanut butter filling, then it’s frosted with a chocolate ganache sauce. Yes, heavenly, but it requires making two different cakes, a filling and a ganache sauce… so no shortage of dirty dishes. BUT when your loved ones take a bite they’ll taste the love and hours that went into baking such a decadent dessert!
Make It Easier
If you opt-out of the “from scratch” angle I wouldn’t judge you for cheating on this layered chocolate cake. A little boxed cake here and there never hurt. AND you can still make the frosting and peanut butter filling making it semi-homemade! Either way, if you decide to take on the challenge, you can use your own favorite cake recipes.
Frosting This Layered Chocolate Cake
This chocolate layered cake is an impressive dessert, and the chocolate icing is the um….icing on the cake.
To frost, use icing spatulas. They have a wide flat surface that’s perfect for icing. Also, if you can use a turntable. A turntable spins and allows you to smooth icing easily without stopping to turn a cake stand or trying to reach around. Cake boards are great if you’re transporting a cake or moving it from the turntable to a cake plate.
Top Tips For A Layered Chocolate Cake
- Use a preheated oven.
- Make sure to spray your baking tins.
- Do not take out the chocolate cake too early, or it will collapse in the middle.
- Refrigerate the ganache for your layered chocolate cake until you reach your desired consistency.
Check Out These Other Delicious Cake Recipes
Brown Sugar Cake WIth Creme Fraiche
Momofuku Milk Bars 4th of July Cake
Delicious Spring Cofee Cake Recipe
Vanilla Cake Recipe by Lauren’s Latest
Carrot Cake by Jo Cooks
If you have tried this layered chocolate cake recipe or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food!
Heaven and Hell Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Perfect Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup boiling water
Angel Food Cake
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 egg whites
Peanut Butter FIlling
- 1 package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp heavy cream
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 2 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all of the dry ingredients together.
- Add in the eggs, oil, vanilla and milk and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in the boiling water.
- Divide batter into two 9 inch round pans that have been sprayed. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center of the cake is done.
- If you take it out too early, the middle will collapse.
Angel Food Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Be sure that your 10 inch tube pan is clean and dry. Any amount of oil or residue could deflate the egg whites.
- Sift together the flour, and 3/4 cup of the sugar, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whip the egg whites along with the vanilla, cream of tartar and salt, to medium stiff peaks.
- Gradually add the remaining sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks.
- When the egg white mixture has reached its maximum volume, fold in the sifted ingredients gradually, one third at a time. Do not overmix.
- Put the batter into the tube pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake springs back when touched. Balance the tube pan upside down on the top of a bottle, to prevent decompression while cooling. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a plate.
Peanut Butter Filling
- Beat the cream cheese on high until soft.
- Add in the peanut butter and sugar and continue to beat.
- Then add in the heavy cream and mix until smooth.
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a heavy sauce pan, then remove from heat.
- Add in the chocolate morsels and let them sit for a few minutes.
- Then whisk until thick.
- You can refrigerate it for an hour or so until desired consistency.
Cake Assembly
- Cut each cake (chocolate and angel food cake) straight through the middle, horizontally.
- Place 1/2 of the chocolate cake on the bottom, then add a layer of peanut butter filling, then angel food cake, peanut butter filling, chocolate cake, peanut butter filling, angel food cake.
- Once the cake is assembled frost with the ganache!!
Nutrition
Chocolate Cake RecipeHERE (bake in a round, springform pan)
Angel Food Cake Recipe HERE (bake in a round springform pan)
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Elsa says
May 28, 2014 at 11:52 amThis looks FAB! I’m up for the challenge ;P
Annie @Maebells says
May 29, 2014 at 8:25 amThis looks phenomenal! I must try!
dina says
May 29, 2014 at 9:04 amwhat a beautiful cake!
Renee @ Awesome on $20 says
May 29, 2014 at 10:13 amYou’re right. It does sound like a total pain to make. But it’s so beautiful. And I can hardly imagine how tasty it would be. I’ll have to give it a shot one day.
Maria says
May 29, 2014 at 1:51 pmI love the combination of ingredients — chocolate, peanut butter, cream cheese… you just can’t go wrong! It definitely sounds like it’s worth the effort. Although I think boxed cakes are the way to go…
Maria xx
http://www.cheekypinktulip.blogspot.com
Chelsea Ward says
June 10, 2014 at 5:07 pmOh goodness…I just finished making this…I had to pause from licking the peanut butter cream bowl clean to tell you how gorgeous of a cake this is! All other cakes are ruined for me now…
Bianca @ Sweet Dreaming says
August 14, 2014 at 9:25 pmamazing!
Angela says
August 27, 2014 at 5:09 pmThis is a cake I would keep in the refrigerator. Because of the cream cheese and the heavy cream. I made this on Sunday and it was delicious. Very sweet and rich. Thanks for sharing the recipe I pinned it on Pinterest and printed it out to make again for my sons birthday.
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Rhian says
April 13, 2016 at 4:08 amThis recepie does not contain butter…..i a lil hesitant to try it, has any one tried it yet?
Eden says
April 13, 2016 at 7:48 amIt doesn’t contain better because the oil in the chocolate cake is what makes it moist 🙂