By Cakes can seem complicated, but this chocolate cottage cheese cake is easy to make in one bowl and packs in 11g of protein! It uses no protein powder, so all the protein comes from whole ingredients. You need just 15 minutes to get it in the oven, and the frosting is a quick blender mousse.
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In college, there was a fancy place that sold a chocolate cake with a hazelnut mousse that I have dreams of! That's what this cake is inspired by. This cake uses 3 tricks to make it fudgey and delicious without the fuss:
- Mayo: I use my grandma's trick to keep it super tender, so you can make it with oat flour to keep it gluten-free or all-purpose flour
- Hot coffee: To activate the cocoa powder
- Mousse frosting: Using our viral cottage cheese mousse instead of buttercream ups the protein and the flavor
Jump to:
why mayonnaise
Because mayo is emulsified oil and eggs, it actually is perfect for adding to baked goods. It gives the cake a super moist crumb without having to measure out separate oil and extra eggs. It's actually my preferred fat source for cakes because it's already stabilized, so it keeps the cake moist longer after baking.
key ingredients & swaps
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Eggs: Add structure and help bind.
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite brand!
- Cottage cheese: Whip this smooth. If you blend it, blend with the other wet ingredients just long enough for the curds to be gone. If over-blended, the cottage cheese can be too liquid, and you will need more flour.
- Hot coffee: Instant or fresh-brewed is fine.
- Vanilla and salt: A must for flavor!
- Oat flour & arrowroot powder: You can use store-bought flour or make your own. Arrowroot flour helps the cake stay tender and not gummy.
- Powdered sugar: My preferred sugar for chocolate cake because it keeps it super fudgy. Graulated works too.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch process cocoa has the least bitter taste. Just make sure it's unsweetened.
- Baking powder & soda: The lift!
- Hemp seeds: 10g of protein per 3 tablespoons, and lots of fiber; these disappear into the batter. Just like they do in these healthier samoa cookies.
- Frosting: Hazelnut spread, cottage cheese, milk of choice (just enough to blend), vanilla, salt, and flaky sea salt to finish.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
switching to all-purpose flour
I tend to use oat flour, but in order to keep the cake tender and not gummy, it needs some arrowroot powder to stabilize it. But you can use all-purpose flour, just omit the arrowroot powder. Or use all-purpose and make these cottage cheese brownies!
step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time
- Blending the cottage cheese: If it's blended too much, the cottage cheese tends to liquify and will throw off the dry-to-wet ratios. I like to either use a food processor, hand blender, or blend with the other wet ingredients just enough to get rid of the curds.
- When to add the hot coffee: Add it after mixing everything else. This blumes the cocoa powder just before baking. The batter will become airy and bubbly from the reaction.
- Add liquid sparingly: For the frosting, we want just enough liquid to blend but as little as possible. This keeps the frosting a frosting and thicker than a traditional mousse.
quick recipe video
how to know the cake is done
The cake is done when a toothpick has moist crumbs, not wet batter. Oat flour bakes behave a little differently than all-purpose - it will firm up as it cools, so do not overbake.
make your own oat flour
You can easily make your own by blending rolled oats in a blender until you get a fine powder.
what's the best hazelnut spread?
I prefer to use one with simple ingredients, but you can use whatever you like. Some cottage cheese mousse recipes use melted chocolate chips, maple syrup, and cocoa powder. I find using the hazelnut spread with the extra fat really results in the best texture.
cool the cake before frosting
The cottage cheese frosting will melt if the cake is hot. Wait until the top is totally cool before frosting. You can pop it in the fridge or freezer to quickly cool it down.
Recipe
chocolate cottage cheese cake (high protein without protein powder!)
Ingredients
cake
- 3 (132 g) eggs
- ½ cup (112 g) mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup (70 g) cottage cheese (any fat level)
- ¾ cup (178 ml) brewed coffee (hot)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1⅔ cups (200 g) oat flour (or all purpose)
- ½ cup (43 g) cocoa powder
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoon (12 g) arrowroot powder (omit if using all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1 g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) hemp seeds
cottage cheese chocolate frosting
- ⅔ cup (200 g) hazelnut spread
- 1¼ cups (263 g) cottage cheese
- 1-2 (15 ml) tbsp milk of choice (add as needed)
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 2 teaspoon (9.86 ml) vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Before you start!
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 9x9 or 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Add the 3 eggs, ½ cup mayonnaise, ⅓ cup cottage cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to a blender. Blend just long enough to get rid of the curds but not so much that it turns to liquid.
- Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl. Add the 1⅔ cups oat flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1½ tablespoon arrowroot powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup hemp seeds. Stir until just combined.
- Pour in the ¾ cup brewed coffee and mix well. The batter will become lighter and slightly bubbly - that's exactly right!
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- While the cake cools, make the frosting. Add the 1¼ cups cottage cheese, ⅔ cup hazelnut spread, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of the milk to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed, and add the additional tablespoon of milk as needed. All curds should be gone.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Top with flaky sea salt just before serving, slice into 12 pieces, and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
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