This lemon chocolate cake is a moist marbled lemon and chocolate cake. It’s topped with tangy lemon chocolate cream cheese frosting. Chocolate and lemon are an uncommon but delicious combination!
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This lemon chocolate cake is a single layer lemon cake marbled with chocolate. It’s topped with a tangy, silky lemon chocolate cream cheese frosting. This cake is the perfect balance of chocolate and lemon.
Swirled marble cakes are both pretty and delicious! You only need 1 batter for this chocolate lemon cake recipe. The chocolate batter’s made from the lemon batter.
For more chocolate and lemon cakes, try my fruity pebbles cake, mini chocolate cake, and persimmon chocolate cake.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Two flavors in one! Chocolate lemon marble cake is perfect for lemon and chocolate lovers!
- Impressive yet simple. This marble cake is so impressive just like my neapolitan cake. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make! You can easily double the recipe for a two layer cake.
- Slathered with frosting. This moist cake is topped with a generous amount of luscious lemon chocolate cream cheese frosting.
- It’s perfect for weeknights and special occasions just like my zucchini lemon cake!
Ingredients
Below are notes about some of the ingredients in this chocolate and lemon cake.
- Butter and oil: Use unsalted, room temperature butter or a combination of oil and butter. Butter adds flavor and oil makes the cake extra moist.
- 2 eggs: This recipe uses 2 large room temperature eggs.
- 2 lemons: Use the zest of 1 large lemon for the cake and zest of 1/2 a lemon for the frosting. This is my first cake that combines lemon and semisweet chocolate. Lemon is also yummy with white chocolate like in my lemon and white chocolate cookies and lemon lavender scones.
- Sour cream and milk: Use room temperature sour cream and milk. I recommend full fat for both, but 2% milk also works. Sour cream makes this cake super moist just like this strawberry pound cake.
- Semisweet chocolate: Use bar style semisweet chocolate, not chocolate chips.
- Cream cheese: Use full fat, room temperature block cream cheese for the frosting. Do not use cream cheese spread.
- Powdered Sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder: Sift or whisk the cocoa powder and powdered sugar to prevent lumps in the frosting.
Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- I have not made this cake gluten free. Many of my cakes work well using a 1:1 Gluten Free Flour such as Bob’s Red Mill.
- Add extra lemon zest to the cake batter and/or frosting for extra lemon flavor.
Instructions
Step 1 (Picture 1 above)– Melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave. Set aside. In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips. Add the butter and oil and beat til light and fluffy.
Step 2 (Picture 2 above)– Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well til each egg is fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Step 3 (Picture 3 above)– In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and milk. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the dry ingredients alternatively with the sour cream and milk mixture.
Step 4 (Picture 4 above)– Spoon a third to 1/2 of the batter into a medium mixing bowl and stir in the melted chocolate.
Step 5 (Picture 5 above)– Use an ice cream scoop or spatula to alternatively dollop the lemon and chocolate batters in an 8 inch round baking pan.
Step 6 (Picture 6 above)– Run a butter knife through the batter to swirl for a marbled appearance. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 24-29 minutes.
Step 7 (Picture 7 above)– Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter with a mixer until creamy and free of lumps. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Gradually mix in 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture at a time til combined.
Step 8 (Picture 8 above)– Frost the top of the cake. Frost the sides if you like or leave them plain. Top with extra lemon zest and/or chocolate shavings and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Tip #1: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. If you dredge the measuring cup into the flour, the flour will become compact. This can lead to a dry cake.
Tip # 2: Don’t overmix the batter for this chocolate and lemon cake. Mix it until just combined.
Tip #3: Make sure the chocolate is still melted when you add it to the batter. If it has gotten cold and hard, reheat it briefly.
Tip #4: Use full fat brick style cream cheese for the frosting. It’s important the cream cheese is at room temperature. If the cream cheese is cold, the frosting will be lumpy.
Recipe FAQs
This cake is also delicious with the sour cream chocolate frosting from my blueberry chocolate cake. You can also use half of the lemon cream cheese frosting from my lemon blackberry cake.
Yes. I haven’t made this cake gluten free, but most of my cakes work great with a 1:1 gluten free flour substitute such as Bob’s Red Mill.
Store unfrosted lemon and chocolate cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Once frosted, it’s best to store the cake in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Lemon Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Chocolate Cake
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons (1½ tablespoons) lemon zest from 1 large lemon
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 2¼ ounces (113.4 g) semisweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all purpose flour or cake flour
- 1½ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- ⅓ cup (76.67 g) sour cream full fat
- ⅓ cup (78.86 ml) milk full fat or 2%, room temperature
Lemon Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese brick style, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) lemon zest optional, add more or less lemon zest according to taste
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1 pinch (1 pinch) salt
- 1¾ cup (210 g) powdered sugar add up to 2 cups powdered sugar, according to taste
- ¼ cup (21.5 g) cocoa powder
Instructions
Lemon Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter the bottom of an 8" round baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Place the finely chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips. Add the butter and oil and beat on medium high speed til light and fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well til each egg is fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir to combine the sour cream and milk. Set aside.
- Use a spatula to gently stir in the dry ingredients alternatively with the sour cream and milk mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Avoid overmixing.
- Spoon a third to 1/2 of the batter into a medium mixing bowl and stir in the melted chocolate.
- Use an ice cream scoop or spatula to alternatively dollop the lemon and chocolate batters in an 8 inch round baking pan. Smooth the top with a spatula or offset spatula. Run a butter knife through the batter to create a swirled marbled pattern.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted in the middle, comes out with a few crumbs. Set pan on a wire rack. Allow cake to cool slightly in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the pan then carefully invert the cake out of the pan. Allow to cool completely on a rack before frosting.
Lemon Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, whisk or sift to combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, completely combined and free of lumps, about 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Turn the mixer to low speed. Gradually mix in 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture at a time til combined.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Pat
This cake is fabulous! Thank you for a great recipe!
Natalie
Hi Pat! My pleasure-thanks so much for making this cake. I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Frank Parrish
This cake definitely needs 35 minutes to cook. Delicious but the cook time is way off, even for a convection oven.
Natalie
Hi Frank, Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry there was an error with the baking time. I’m happy you found the cake delicious and appreciate you pointing out that error. I have updated the cooking time. Have a nice weekend!
Barbara Briggs Ward
So heavenly delicious!
Natalie
Happy to hear that! It definitely is 🙂