For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake,

Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).In the top of a double boiler, place cream cheese and chocolate. Cook, without stirring, over simmering water until chocolate is almost melted. Gently stir until combined. Remove from heat. Add 1¼ cups (106 grams) cocoa and ½ cup (120 grams) boiling water, whisking until combined. Whisk in vanilla.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined after each addition.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, espresso powder, and baking powder. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions alternately with chocolate mixture, beating just until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.

Spray a 9 x 13 2-inch cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper with a 1-inch overhang. Clip the overhang with metal clips on either side to hold down. Pour in the batter and smooth until even.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes, loosely covering with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the Filling,

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the whole milk and flour all at once. Whisk constantly until a thick paste appears. Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla. Mix vigorously until smooth. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the paste and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, add in the butter and granulated sugar. Beat on high for about 10 minutes until white and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl every few minutes. While still beating, add in the cooled paste one spoonful at a time making sure it’s completely incorporated before the next addition. Then continue to beat on high for another 5-7 minutes. The mixture should be fluffy, and all the sugar granules will have completely dissolved.

Place the filling in a piping bag and cut out a dime sized opening.

For the Frosting,

In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, add in the butter, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Beat together on low just until incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low for about 30 seconds until the powdered sugar has dissolved. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix while streaming in the heavy cream. Mix until well combined, about 30 more seconds.

Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a 789-frosting tip.

Assembly,

Cut the edges off of the cooled pound cake. Gently and slowly level off the top “crust” of the cake making sure to not go too deep. Then, cut the cake in half lengthwise, and cut about 1 ¼ inch thick strips going across the lengthwise cut.

With a paring knife, cut out a long strip in the center of each slice lengthwise and remove excess cake leaving a place for the filling.

Fill the opening to the top with the cream filling.

With the serrated end of the tip, pipe the chocolate frosting over the top of each cake. If you don’t have this tip, chill the cakes for 15 minutes in the fridge and spread the frosting on the top of the cakes with an offset spatula and make a design by running a fork across the top.

Enjoy!