This Godiva Cheesecake Factory Copycat is rich, velvety, and silky-smooth. With 4 layers of decadent chocolate it feels luxurious from the first bite.
My husband and I love the Godiva Cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory and we live about five minutes from a Cheesecake Factory, so it can be tempting to hop on over and grab a slice. Last December, I surprised my husband with a slice for our anniversary and when the worker told me it was $12 for the one slice I knew I needed to create my own version.
After three tries, I think I nailed it. My brother-in-law’s review was “No notes”, so I am feeling pretty confident in this Cheesecake Factory Godiva Cheesecake Copycat.
This cheesecake might seem a bit intimidating since there are four layers. but I will walk you through each step, so you can create this delicious piece of heaven at home and you’ll have a whole cheesecake.
4 LAYERS OF CHOCOLATE GOODNESS
- Flourless Chocolate Cake: The bottom layer is a flourless chocolate cake. I used my Decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe and halved it. It’s the perfect fudgy base for this cake.
- Chocolate Cheesecake: It’s a velvety chocolate cake with a deep cocoa flavor with a silky-smooth texture.
- Chocolate Mousse: The mousse is silky, smooth and rich. It needs to chill for a few hours to better hold its shape in the cake.
- Chocolate Ganache: Chocolate ganache makes everything better. It’s rich, smooth and a beautiful finish to this delicious cake.
HOW TO MAKE COPYCAT CHEESECAKE FACTORY GODIVA CHEESECAKE
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE:
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt chopped chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt together until they are well combined. Add melted chocolate and stir until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set aside. Super easy!
CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE:
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt chopped chocolate, stir until smooth, set aside and cool. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until well combined. Mix in cocoa powder on low speed to avoid a cocoa powder explosion. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla until well combined. Fold in melted chocolate using a silicone spatula. Once fully combined, pour batter over the flourless chocolate cake layer and spread batter evenly.
WATER BATH:
- Get about four cups of water ready in a large liquid measuring cup. Place cheesecake on a rimmed baking sheet and set in the oven. Slowly pour the water in the baking sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:
- While the cheesecake is baking, make the mousse. You can also make the mousse ahead of time. Chill a metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment (for hand mixer), for ten minutes. While the bowl is chilling, make chocolate ganache by heating heavy whipping cream in the microwave for 45 seconds. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and stir until it’s smooth. Set it aside and allow it to cool. In a small bowl, add cold water and sprinkle gelatin on top and let it sit for one minute. Pour boiling water (I heat it in the microwave for about a minute) over gelatin and stir until gelatin is dissolved and set aside. In the chilled bowl, add remaining heavy cream and beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add gelatin and beat until well combined. Using a silicone spatula, fold in chocolate ganache until well combined. Make sure to mix until no white streaks are showing. Chill mousse in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- In a microwave safe measuring cup, heat heavy cream for 45 seconds. Pour over chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until well combined. It takes a minute to get fully mixed. Allow the ganache to cool and thicken. Once cooled, evenly spread it over the chocolate mousse layer.
HELPFUL EQUIPMENT
- 9 inch spring form pan: This spring form pan has over 30k reviews.
- Mixing bowls: I love and use this mixing bowl set with lids.
- Hand mixer: I love my Kitchen Aid hand mixer.
- Silicone spatulas: I love these silicone spatulas.
- Rimmed baking sheet: I love these Nordic Ware baking sheets.
- Liquid measuring cups: I love my Pyrex liquid measuring cups.
- Measuring cups and spoons: I use and love this set of measuring cups and spoons.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST CHEESECAKE
- WATER BATH: I know it’s annoying, but a water bath will help keep the cheesecake from cracking. Make sure to cover the bottom of your pan with aluminum foil, so it doesn’t get into your cake…trust me, I know from experience. It is also helpful to have your water measured and ready to pour as soon as you get your cheesecake in the oven. If your oven door is opened too long it may let out too much heat and decrease your oven temperature.
- CHOCOLATE MOUSSE: Make this ahead of time, so it has time to chill and set in the fridge. Just don’t eat it all or do and make more, it’s totally up to you!
- PLAN AHEAD: Since this cheesecake is so luxurious, it is high maintenance. The cheesecake takes about an hour to bake and another hour or two to cool and then another six hours (or overnight, my personal preference) to chill, so make it the day before you plan to eat it and you’ll be set!
- BAKING: The cheesecake is done when the sides of the cheesecake are set and there is a slight jiggle in the center of the cake. The internal temperature should reach 150°-155° F.
MORE CHOCOLATE DESSERTS TO LOVE:
- Easy and Decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake
- The Best Ever Homemade Brownie Recipe
- The Best Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Let me know if you make this dessert and what you think! Comment below or send me a DM on Instagram. You can find me @sweetbitesbylaurel. I love seeing what you’re baking!
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Godiva Cheesecake
This Godiva Cheesecake Factory Copycat is rich, velvety, and silky-smooth. With 4 layers of decadent chocolate it feels luxurious from the first bite.
Equipment
- 9 inch spring form pan
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
- Silicone spatulas
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons/cups
Ingredients
Flourless Chocolate Cake Layer
- 4 ounce baking chocolate chopped
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (64 g) granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon (15 g) cocoa powder
Chocolate Cheesecake Layer
- 4 ounce baking chocolate chopped
- 16 ounce cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup (144 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon (7.5 g) cocoa powder
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) vanilla extract
Chocolate Mousse Layer
- ⅓ cup (74 g) dark chocolate chips
- 1 ¼ cups (300 g) cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon gelatin
- 1 tablespoon (14.75 g) cold water
- 2 tablespoons (29 g) boiling water
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup (224 g) dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120 g) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Flourless Chocolate Cake Layer
- Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Spray 9 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray, cover outside bottom of pan with aluminum foil and place in a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine chopped chocolate and butter. Heat for 30 seconds, stir and heat for an additional 15-20 seconds and stir.
- Continue to heat at 15 second intervals and stir after each interval until smooth. This usually takes a minute to a minute and 20 seconds. Set aside and allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Add melted chocolate to sugar mixture and mix until well combined.
- Poor batter in prepared pan. Set aside.
Chocolate Cheesecake Layer
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat chopped chocolate for 30 seconds and stir. Heat another 15 seconds and stir. If chocolate is not smooth, continue to heat and stir in 15 second intervals. Set aside and cool.
- Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Slowly add cocoa powder and mix until well combined.
- Add eggs one at a time and mix. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Fold in melted chocolate until well combined.
- Pour cheesecake batter on top of the cake batter and evenly spread cheesecake batter.
- Place cheesecake on rimmed baking sheet in oven and pour about 4 cups water into baking sheet.
- Water bath is optional but it helps prevent cracking.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes.
- The cake is done when the sides of the cheesecake are stiff and the center has a slight wiggle.
- The internal temperature should be between 150°-155°.
- Let cool completely.
Chocolate Mousse
- Place metal bowl and whisk attachment in freezer for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add chocolate chips. Set aside.
- Heat ¼ cup heavy whipping cream for 30 seconds in microwave. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Set aside and cool.
- Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl. Let sit for 1 minute. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Cool slightly.
- In chilled metal bowl, beat remaining 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; mix until combined. Pour in gelatin mixture and beat until well blended.
- Fold in chocolate ganache until well blended.
- Spread over cooled cheesecake and refrigerate for two hours. If cheesecake is not cooled, refrigerate until cake has cooled.
Chocolate Ganache
- Heat heavy whipping cream for 30 seconds in microwave. Pour over chocolate chips in a small bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Once cooled, spread on top of mousse layer.
- Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
- It is best to make a day before serving to allow enough time for the cake to chill.
- The chocolate mousse can be made ahead of time.
- Cooling the chocolate ganache before spreading it on the mousse layer will help it to set better.
