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The Best B-52 Cake
5 from 15 votes

The Best B-52 Cake

The Best B-52 Cake features a layered dessert with a dense brownie base, a creamy white chocolate and Baileys middle layer, and a gelatin-based orange liqueur topping. This multi-textured cake combines chocolate, coffee, and citrus-flavored spirits, blending richness with delicate creamy and fruity notes. It requires careful layering and chilling to achieve the distinct layers and flavor balance.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
24 mins
Cooling Time, divided
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 54 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 622 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

THE BROWNIE BASE
  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
  • ½ cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons Kahlúa
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • cooking spray or butter for greasing
THE MIDDLE LAYER
  • 1 teaspoon gelatin unflavored
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 6 ounces white chocolate chopped
  • ½ cup Baileys Irish cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream or whipping cream, 35%
THE TOP LAYER
  • 1 ½ cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons gelatin unflavored
NO BAKE CHEESECAKE LAYER
  • 2 bricks (8oz) cream cheese softened
  • 1 ½ cups icing sugar or powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup heavy cream or whipping cream
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup chocolate chips melted

Instructions

THE BROWNIE BASE
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Adjust your oven rack to the middle position. Grease your 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.  
  2. You now have 2 options.  1) In a small saucepan, melt butter, over low heat.  Add chocolate and stir until combined.  OR 2) Using a small bowl or measuring cup melt butter and chocolate together in your microwave, on low, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until melted and totally blended together.  Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine sugar, eggs, Kahlua, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.  Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together.  Add chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour and whisk until totally incorporated.  
  4. Next, dump your batter into your prepared springform pan.  Do your best to spread the batter as evenly as possible across the bottom of the pan, trying not to get any brownie batter on the sides of the pan.  You want the layers of this cake to be as perfect as possible!  
  5. Bake until top of brownie begins to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. A few crumbs are ok! It will take around 24 minutes. Sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. I always rotate the brownies at about the 12 minute mark. Once brownies are cooked, remove them from your oven and place on a wire rack to totally cool.  
THE MIDDLE LAYER
  1. Using a medium to large mixing bowl add your chopped white chocolate.  
  2. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring Bailey's and espresso powder to a simmer and then pour it on top of the white chocolate.  Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is totally smooth.  If you need to place on heat again to make sure the chocolate is totally melted.   
  3. In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon of the gelatin and warm to hot water, stir until gelatin softens, a minute or two.  
  4. Add gelatin mixture, and whisk until incorporated.  Allow to cool while you are making the whipped cream in the next step.  
  5. Using your handheld or stand mixer,  whip cream on medium speed until foamy.  Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, just a few more minutes.  
  6. Using your whisk, add about ⅓ of the whipped cream into your white chocolate mixture. Whisk until totally blended together.
  7. Next, using a spatula, fold in all of your remaining whipped cream until totally combined.  Spread mixture as evenly as possible all over your brownie layer in your springform pan. Refrigerate until it is set, approximately 2 hours.
THE TOP LAYER
  1. Using a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine orange juice, sugar, Grand Marnier, and gelatin.  Stir frequently until mixture is simmering. 
  2. Then pour mixture into a measuring cup that will handle the heat, and not crack or melt, and allow the mixture to cool, between 1 and 2 hours. 
  3. Once mixture has cooled down, slowly pour all over the top of your cake and refrigerate, uncovered, until set, about 1 more hour. 
  4. When you are ready to serve this wonderful cake, use a very thin knife and press it between your cake and the side of your pan.  Remove the outside ring of your pan. 
  5. Using the same knife, slide it underneath the pan to loosen your cake, if necessary. Slide your cake on top of your serving platter. 
  6. Sprinkle chopped chocolate all over the top of your cake. 
  7. Serve in slices and ENJOY every bite!
NO BAKE CHEESECAKE LAYER - Option
  1. Beat cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, and heavy cream until smooth. 
  2. Using medium to medium high speed, beat in cocoa powder, and melted chocolate chips.
  3. Beat until smooth.
  4. Add parchment paper around edge of brownie while still in the pan. Once your brownie is cool, open your springform pan briefly, slide parchment around edge of brownie, and close springform pan. The parchment needs to rise slightly above the springform pan to hold the cheesecake mixture.
  5. Pour and spread over your brownie bottom.
  6. Decorate as desired. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
  7. Remove parchment around outer edge of cheesecake.
  8. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Avoid adding large candies or treats inside the cake layers to maintain clean slicing.
  • The gelatin layers require thorough chilling to set properly before assembling.

Nutrition Information

Calories 622kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 68g (23%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 35g (54%) Saturated Fat 22g (110%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 8g (40%) Trans Fat 0.3g (15%) Cholesterol 104mg (35%) Sodium 110mg (5%) Potassium 268mg (6%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 58g (116%) Vitamin A 976IU (20%) Vitamin C 16mg (18%) Calcium 96mg (10%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 622

% Daily Value*

Calories 622kcal 31%
Carbohydrates 68g 23%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 35g 54%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 104mg 35%
Sodium 110mg 5%
Potassium 268mg 6%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 58g 116%
Vitamin A 976IU 20%
Vitamin C 16mg 18%
Calcium 96mg 10%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.