Chocolate Waffle Cake

Chocolate Waffle Cake

Who else *hates* turning on the oven when it's hot outside...? 

So I was in a conundrum the other week. I REALLY wanted to bake a cake - and had a rare free afternoon.

The down side….it was already almost 90 degrees outside, and forecasted to hit almost 100 before the end of the day.

Who wants to turn on their oven in that weather?? Yuck. Nope. 

Fortunately….a Pinterest board I’d seen the other week came to the rescue with an idea. Waffle cakes! They're apparently much more popular than I’d realized. And a HUGE one on the plus side that day - waffles don’t need an oven! 

Waffle Cake Recipe notes - 

You'll see my Belgian waffle maker in the video. But I've seen photos and videos of waffle cakes made with waffles of all shapes, styles, and sizes! 

I opted for cake mixes to keep this recipe super simple. That said, you can definitely sub in whatever recipe you'd like if you prefer! One of these days I'm also going to try out assembling a waffle cake with stabilized whipped cream. (That stuff is one of my favorite things on the planet.) Until then, my favorite cream cheese buttercream recipe is below! 

Happy baking-without-baking! Recipe below! 

(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!) 

Don't forget to pin for later!

Chocolate Waffle Cake pinterest pin

Chocolate Waffle Cake

Waffle cakes are easy to make - and don't require an oven! This Chocolate Waffle Cake is a no-bake recipe; perfect for hot weather!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Decorating time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cake mix Waffle Cake, Chocolate Waffle Cake, Waffle Cake
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 710kcal
Author: Sarah H

Equipment

Ingredients

Chocolate Waffle Cake layers

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

  • 6 ounces cream cheese (¾ package; softened)
  • ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks, softened)
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)

Decorations

  • 1-2 cups chocolate chips (more or less to your preference)
  • Cocoa powder (for dusting)

Instructions

Chocolate Waffle Cake layers

  • Melt butter and whisk in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk in cake mix for 2-3 minutes until well combined.
  • Measure about 1 cup of batter into your waffle maker – I found about one cup filled the waffle maker completely without overflowing too badly, and I had enough batter for 4 waffles. I recommend filling the waffle maker fully so your waffles are even and stacking them is easier.
  • Once all your waffles are cooked, let them cool to room temperature before stacking/decorating – I found putting them in the fridge to cool actually made them more brittle and prone to cracking, so I don’t recommend it. :/
  • While you’re waiting, make your filling/frosting!

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:

  • Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.

Assembly

  • Once your waffles are cool, you’re ready to decorate! Use some frosting to stick the waffle to your cake circle, and center your first waffle on the circle. I found filling the waffle easiest with my piping bag, but you could use an offset spatula to fill the center and just pipe around the outside – up to you! Sprinkle some chocolate chips over the frosting, and add your next waffle on top.
  • Repeat the process with your remaining waffles!

Decorating

  • I piped the top waffle to make the top look more decorative, and added a generous sprinkle of chocolate chips and a dusting of cocoa powder.
  • And you’re done! Cut in and enjoy – your cake and your cool house!

Video

Notes

(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate. Counts will be lower in all fields if the entire batch of frosting is not used.) 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice (1/12th cake) | Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 33g

Mentioned in post: Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Did you make this Chocolate Waffle Cake? 

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2 thoughts on “Chocolate Waffle Cake

    1. It depends; my waffle iron has a green indicator light that turns on when the waffle is done, and I usually let it go about a minute past that (usually about 6-7 minutes total in my Belgian waffle iron). I like them on the crisper side for waffle cakes since I need them to hold some structure like cake layers would.

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