Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Cake
1 ¾ cake flour
¾ cup cocoa (preferable Dutch processed)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
¾ cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1 1½ cups semisweet chocolate pieces
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar

Frosting
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 (8-inch) cake pans and line with parchment. Butter the parchment and flour pans, shaking out the excess. 

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Reserve. 

In a mixer with a whip attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in the melted butter. Alternately add dry ingredients with buttermilk, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add the coffee and vanilla to form a thin batter. Divide between prepared cake pans. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks, peel off paper and cool completely.

When cool, split each cake in half with a serrated slicing knife. Freeze the layers for 1 hour before assembling the finished cake. Make the filling and icing while the layers are freezing.

Place the first layer on a cake serving dish and spread a thin layer of the filling evenly over the cake. Repeat this process until you have the layers assembled, spread the icing over the top layer and around the sides.

Serve with Caramel Ribbon Ice Cream.

Filling

Place the chocolate in a double boiler and heat until completely melted. While the chocolate melts, use an electric mixer with a wire whip attachment to beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Beat until it is light and fluffy. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly, then drizzle it into the cream cheese mixture and continue beating until the filling is cool. This spreads best if used immediately.

Frosting

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Use an electric mixer with a wire whip attachment to cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. As with the filling, this spreads best if used immediately.

Recent Recipes

Robert’s Christmas Turkey 2025

There's nothing like a well-roasted turkey to anchor a holiday table, and no one made it quite like my grandmother. She didn't wait until Thanksgiving to serve it. She'd roast a turkey once a month throughout the year, never mind the occasion. It was a staple at her table. My mother, on the other hand, always made a formal Christmas Eve dinner, complete with turkey, dressing, and gravy. As kids, the excitement of Christmas Eve was almost too much to bear. Those big dinners felt like the beginning of Christmas itself. It’s a memory that comes to mind every time I cook a turkey or make gravy. And a good gravy can make or break the meal. Making sure the roux browns just right and finishing the gravy with a touch of lemon juice or fresh herbs are tricks worth remembering. A little extra attention to the gravy goes a long way.

Read more

Bayou Bacon & Cheddar Spread

I can lay waste to a block of cream cheese with pepper jelly and crackers in a matter of minutes. It’s a weakness. No matter how hard I try to exercise self-control, I always find myself standing over the plate at a cocktail party, making it disappear without even thinking. This spread hits the same notes, but with a smoky, savory punch that’s hard to beat. It’s become a go-to for Christmas parties, and if you’re smart, you’ll double the recipe because it’ll be gone before you know it. It’s best when made a day in advance—giving all the flavors time to mingle.

Read more

Orange and Bourbon Glazed Duck for Drew

My brother Drew and I were always wound up on Christmas Eve. He was four years older, but you’d never know it by how excited we both were. He’d be bouncing off the walls, too keyed up to sleep, while I’d follow his lead like I always did. When we finally did drift off, it wouldn’t be long before he’d shake me awake before dawn, eyes shining like he hadn’t slept a wink. Those early mornings felt like magic. Now, Christmas means he’s usually out duck hunting in the Delta, his favorite place on earth. He loves the hunt and the calm that comes with being out in the field before the sun rises. I thought of him when I put together this recipe. It’s a little bit of Drew—those wild December mornings in the Delta and the quiet way he’s always looked out for me.

Read more