Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
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This rich and creamy cottage cheese chocolate cake needs just three ingredients. It has a mousse-like texture that melts in your mouth!
I’ve been using cottage cheese in desserts for years, but it has taken me quite some time to perfect a chocolate cake made with it.
I loosely adapted my yogurt chocolate cake from my first cookbook, but tweaked the ratios because yogurt and cottage cheese are not an equal swap. It took many rounds of recipe testing, including different chocolate bars, cake pans, and even mixing methods, until I found the right balance.
This cottage cheese cake works best when you lean into what it actually is: a flourless, custard-style chocolate cake. One blender, no flour, and a precise baking time that creates a smooth, fudgy center and a rich chocolate flavor. My partner says it reminds him of a French mousse cake!
Table of Contents
Why make my cottage cheese chocolate cake recipe
- 3 ingredients. All you need is cottage cheese, chocolate, and eggs. Even the optional frosting uses two of those three!
- Relatively healthy. This cake is naturally gluten-free and grain-free, and can easily be made low carb.
- Quick and easy. Blend, bake, and set. Everything is done in under an hour!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this cottage cheese cake, along with my kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
- Cottage cheese. I prefer using full-fat cottage cheese as it yields a creamier cake, but I had success when I tested it with low-fat cottage cheese, too.
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs, please.
- Chocolate. I prefer using semi-sweet chocolate (55% cocoa) because I like a sweeter cake, but I tested it with dark chocolate (68% cocoa), and it worked just as well. I don’t recommend milk chocolate, as it’s too sweet and can also result in a weaker structure.
- Cottage cheese ganache. Optional, but I like to whisk melted chocolate with some whipped cottage cheese until glossy.
How to make cottage cheese chocolate cake
Step 1- Blend. In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend the eggs, cottage cheese, and vanilla, if using.
Step 2- Fold. Slowly fold in the melted chocolate and blend once or twice until smooth.
Step 3- Assemble and bake. Transfer the mixture into a cake pan and bake for 45 minutes.
Step 4- Cool. Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Do not overbake. This is my #1 rule with this cake. The cake will look underbaked, but it will firm up and set as it cools down (referred to as carryover cooking). Please remove it at the 45-minute mark, and not a minute more!
- Don’t use chocolate chips. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers, which can make the batter grainy. I recommend good-quality bars like Guittard or Ghirardelli.
- Pans matter. In testing, baking it in a dark pan made the edges a little too cooked. I found that using a light pan lined with parchment paper would be ideal (see step 3 above- I used a light pan).
- Low carb option. I tested this cake with sugar free chocolate, and it baked up just as well as standard chocolate. I’d also recommend using whole milk cottage cheese, as it has the fewest carbs.
How to store leftovers
Storage: Keep leftover cake in the fridge, covered, for up to one week.
Freezing: This cake freezes surprisingly well. Place slices in an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to two months. I suggest thawing it at room temperature for an hour before serving.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
“This cake is one I often suggest to clients who want something indulgent but simple. Cottage cheese takes the place of flour, adding protein and calcium while keeping the recipe naturally gluten-free. With just eggs and dark chocolate, it’s a rich option that feels satisfying.“ – Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cottage cheese
- 10 1/2 ounces chocolate melted, semi-sweet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the eggs and cottage cheese and blend until smooth. Fold through the melted chocolate and blend once or twice, until incorporated.
- Transfer the mixture into the cake pan and spread the top out evenly.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for ten minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, serve immediately or frost.
Notes
- Frosting: To make the cottage cheese ganache, melt 7 ounces of dark chocolate until smooth. Gently fold in 3/4 cup of whipped cottage cheese (room temperature) and spread over the cake.
- Tips: See my recipe tips above for making the best cottage cheese cake.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge, covered, for one week or in the freezer for up to two months.
Nutrition
More cottage cheese desserts
- Cottage cheese cheesecake– Rich, creamy, and inspired by my favorite New York cheesecake. Seriously, no one will know the difference!
- Cottage cheese cookies– The cottage cheese sneaks into the cookie dough, which yields bakery-style cookies.
- Cottage cheese donuts– Cakey and fluffy in the middle with a cinnamon-sugar coating, these are so easy!
- Cottage cheese cinnamon rolls– Gooey, fluffy, and with no hint of cottage cheese whatsoever.
- Cottage cheese chocolate mousse– My favorite, high-protein dessert that needs just three ingredients.
- Cottage cheese muffins– Moist, fluffy, and studded with chocolate chips, I love these with a coffee or tea mid-morning.
Great
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Linda!
We love this recipe! I’ve made this three times and even my 5 year old picky eater loves it!!! Amazing texture and (almost) zero guilt!
Aw, thanks for the lovely feedback and star rating, Lacey- I’m so glad you’ve made it 3 times already, and that your 5 year old enjoys it too 🙂
I’m making this for my wonderful father-in-law’s 91st birthday. It’s perfect for his diet (also my husband‘s lol) i’m using an 8 1/2 inch springform pan. Fingers crossed thanks for your wonderful recipes. I love the minimal ingredients and healthy options. You’re the best!
Oh let me know how it goes, Charlene- I think the cooking time will be closer to 40 minutes, but check and see! Happy 91st birthday to him- what a huge milestone 🙂
Hi!!
I was wondering if I have a 6-inch cake pan instead of a 8’’ , what would be the quantities for the 3 ingredients, and cooking for how long?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Myriam- Yes absolutely! In fact, my original recipe from my cookbook was using a 6-inch cake pan (with yogurt, but still similar quantities). You’d reduce it to 4 eggs, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, and 7 ounces chocolate. Let me know how you go!
This is an amazing recipe! I made the smaller size because I only had 4 eggs left and OMG delicious! I also added 1/8 teaspoon of espresso powder and had to use chocolate chips because I could not find semi sweet bars. It worked out for me just fine.
This tastes nothing like cottage cheese. Thank you for this recipe!!
Thanks so much for the lovely feedback and review, SB- I love that you added espresso powder to it- it would have definitely intensified the chocolate flavor. And YES! That is my #1 rule with desserts that use yogurt or cottage cheese- no one can tell!
Arman, I just made this and it was sensational. No cottage cheese flavor and the cake melted in your mouth!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Cassie- glad you enjoyed it!
This is absolute devine and so quick to make.
Need more recipes like that.
Thank you for your lovely feedback and review, Adri! Thanks for making this cake!