My Dad’s Favorite Chocolate Birthday Cake
Today is my dad’s birthday. He would have turned 59 today, and I’m sure the day would have been filled with all sorts of jokes about how he was only one year away from being really old and over the hill. However, life happens, as it tends to do, and my dad passed away 13 years ago, a week shy of his 46th birthday, due to complications from leukemia. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him, and miss him. This past Christmas, my grandma and I were talking about recipes, and she asked if my mom ever gave me the recipe for my dad’s favorite birthday cake. I couldn’t remember it, so my mom dug it out for me, and I decided that this year I would make his favorite cake to commemorate his birthday. My mom’s recipe card was titled simply, “Mom Norris Choc. Cake”. Let me tell you – my dad had some tremendously good taste when it came to cake, as this is not your ordinary chocolate cake. It’s a rich, moist chocolate cake with a river of cream cheese filling running through the middle, and it’s topped with a combination of chopped walnuts and sugar. It’s amazing. And I’ve decided that I’m going to make this every year on April 12th.
I asked my grandma where she got this recipe, and she said that one of the women she worked with back in the 60’s shared it with her. She made it, and my dad, who was in his early teens at the time, loved it, and so she made it for his birthday every year after that. Once my parents got married, my mom took over making it for him each and every year. I couldn’t remember the cake, and my mom said she stopped making it when my sister and I were pretty young since my dad got a “borderline cholesterol” blood result from the doctor and he had to start watching what he ate. Incidentally, that result did not stop him from sneaking Snickers bars at work. Many times we would stop by his office to visit, and my sister and I would see the wrappers in his waste basket. We relished ratting him out to my mom, of course. What little snitches we were!
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Celebrating my dad’s birthday is, of course, bittersweet. There are so many things I wish I could share with him and do with him on a daily basis that I can’t, but I am grateful for each and every day that I got to spend with him. He was a jokester – I was doused with cold water more times than I can count, he continually hid rubber snakes for my mom to find (she is absurdly afraid of snakes), and he even won a Friday joke contest on a local radio station. I think he secretly loved having a tomboy daughter – he played catch with me and hit me grounders to practice fielding when I played softball. We threw footballs back and forth. He would change clothes after work and challenge me to a game of H-O-R-S-E out back. And I’m sure he loved nothing more than seeing me, his 8-year-old daughter, pour into his hockey equipment (helmet, shin guards, gloves, and all), grab my street hockey stick (pink blade and all) and declare that I would be the first girl hockey player ever. We always had tons of fun, and I never doubted how proud he was of whatever I was doing.
This cake is for him – to celebrate what an awesome dad he was and for the time I got to spend with him.
Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you and miss you.
One year ago: Classic Egg Salad
Two years ago: Honey-Vanilla Sour Cream Pound Cake
Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling & Walnut-Sugar Topping
Ingredients
For the Walnut-Sugar Topping:
- 2 cups (234 g) chopped walnuts
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
For the Cake:
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (500 ml) cold water
- ¾ cup (163.5 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup (133.33 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside.
- 2. Make the Walnut-Sugar Topping: Combine the chopped walnuts and the sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
- 3. Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the water, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix together until just combined and there are no traces of dry ingredients. Set aside.
- 4. Make the Cream Cheese Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until soft and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and continue mixing until light and fluffy, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the salt and beat until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- 4. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Slowly pour all of the cream cheese filling over top, trying to distribute it as evenly as possible (do not try to spread it after you pour it). Pour the remaining cake batter over top of the cream cheese filling. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the walnut-sugar mixture.
- 5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Let cool completely before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This sounded so good…. Made it and was disappointed. Got very high 1/4 inch above pan….15 extra min baking and center was still undone….and generally had no flavor :(
Oh yeah..and I found this recipe through your link on the Mississippi Mud Cake..I grew up in Mississippi..trippy :)
I’m a recent subscriber to your blog, so I missed the post when it was published. It touched my heart a little bit actually, as I can completely relate. My dad’s birthday was also April 12, and he would have been 58 this year. He also died of cancer (pancreatic) 3 years ago. I wasn’t as close with my dad as you were with yours, but he was still my dad. I think about him all the time, especially since I’ve been living in China this year, and he worked here for a bit when I was a baby. I really wanted to make a German chocolate cake for his birthday this year, since it was his favorite and I’ve never made one. I sadly didn’t get a chance to make one as I couldn’t get the ingredients (the expat store is far away =/). There’s always next year I guess. Anyways, thanks for the post. I’ll have to try this cake for sure. It looks wonderful!
Hi Brittany, My condolences to you. It’s never easy to lose someone you love. I am planning to make a German Chocolate Cake for Father’s Day this year, so keep an eye out for the recipe!
Beautiful post. My seven year old son’s birthday is April 12, as well. I love that you commemorate your dad’s birthday by making his favorite cake. I lost my mom to Lymphoma when she was only 50 and I am always at a loss for how to mark the occasion of her birthday. I think I may borrow your idea and bake her favorite cake on her birthday next February. By the way, your cake looks delicious! I must try this recipe.
Just tucking into my first piece – a lovely cake! But when I put the second half of the batter on top, it pretty much sank through. It turned out fine, but I ended up with a cream cheese layer on top rather than the middle. Is there a trick to it? My only thought is that I’m in the UK and the ingredients may be sliiiiightly different…
I had the same issue and I’m in the States.
Hi Alex, The ingredients may have played a part; I just poured slowly and as evenly as possible. I didn’t get it to cover the entire cream cheese layer, but it was pretty close.
What a sweet (literally and figuratively) tribute to your father. My dad also battled cancer right around his 50th birthday. Fortunately, he came out healthy on the other side, so I can only imagine how much you miss your dad. He would be so proud of you!
Just saw that it should be refrigerated, thanks!
I would like to try this recipe! Does it need to be refrigerated after you make it due to the cream cheese?
I`ve tried this recipe and i`m really impressed, it has a very good taste. My both child tried it and they like it a lot. Thanks a lot for sharing.
I made this last night to take to work for a coworker’s birthday. Everybody loved it! Thanks for the great recipe and wonderful story of it’s history
(Choking up)…I miss my Dad too and this makes me want to make my Dad’s favorite apple cake. What a nice way to remember him.
It’s a lovely way to remember your Dad and I look forward to trying the recipe. Great post!
Loved reading about your dad and the memories behind this cake. I am going to bake this today and also would like to know if it should be refrigerated?
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Adrianne, Yes, I would refrigerate it if you have leftovers, just make sure it is covered tightly in the refrigerator.
what a SWEET tribute to your Father. Hugs to you. My father would have loved this cake too. Chocolate, walnuts creamcheese. yup.. he would have loved it. ;)
I loved this post… so sweet and honest. Thank you for sharing your memories of your dad – he sounds like a great one! I am looking forward to trying this special cake :)
This is an awesome post. I say cheers to chocolate cake on April 12 every year. I also lost my mother when she was very young, though I can hear her joking too about ‘being old’ at 40 and can’t imagine what jokes she would be saying if she had celebrated 59. I think its beautiful and bittersweet though that you have loved ones to help you celebrate your fathers memory and re-discover wonderful recipes like this.
Just finished having my (2nd) piece today of this cake. It is delicious!!! It did take an extra 10 mins to bake tho. Just a question. Should this be refrigerated because of the cream cheese? thanks for a great recipe.
Hi Barbara, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It should be refrigerated, just make sure it’s covered tightly so it doesn’t pick up any refrigerator odors.
Aww, so sweet. Thank you for sharing your dad’s favorite cake recipe. ♥ I have a question though about the ingredients. I noticed that there are not any eggs in the cake batter. Is that why there is 3/4 cup vegetable oil? I was going to make it today but hesitated..
Correct – the vegetable oil and the water are what keep the cake moist.
What a lovely post! I’m not usually a cake person, but I’m going to make this cake in honor of your dad. :)
Very touching story, so many things my mom makes remind me of my dad who passed away 3 years ago at age 65. His birthday is coming up and this sounds like something he would love, I think I’ll make it and share it with my family. Thanks
Wow, I can totally see how this could be anyones favorite cake. It looks amazing!
the cake looks divine. I lost my dad just last month, and I know that I can look forward to thinking of him every day. his annual birthday cake was chocolate mint. I’ll be making it that day.
I am so sorry for your loss. Big hugs to you and your family.
What a tribute to your father. I showed my hubby the picture and he can’t wait for me to make it! Thanks!
This looks so delicious! What a great recipe! Xx
This cake looks and sounds so appealing! And thank you for sharing the story of your Dad. What a lovely tribute to him. I make a coffee cake that was my Dad’s favourite, and every time I make it one of the kids remembers that it was Petje’s favourite. Food is a wonderful way to share memories of someone special.
Beautiful, Michelle. What a way to celebrate a genuinely wonderful person. Brought tears to my eyes…
Happy birthday, Dave. You are truly missed.
My mom died when she was 48 so I know so well how bittersweet this day must be. What a loving tribute to your Dad…and an equally lovely cake.
Looks like he certainly did have good taste. Glad you found the recipe.
Great post. Happy Birthday to your Dad.
My heart goes out to you. Your dad sounds like an amazing person, and I know your loss was great. I can see why he loved this cake. Thanks for sharing with us.