Strawberry Chocolate Cake (Print Version)
Moist chocolate layers filled with fresh strawberries and topped with rich ganache for a stunning celebration dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Cake
01 - 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
03 - 3/4 cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
05 - 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
06 - 1 tsp salt
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
10 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
→ Strawberry Layer
12 - 2 cups (300 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
13 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
→ Chocolate Ganache
15 - 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
16 - 8 oz (225 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
→ Whipped Cream (Optional)
17 - 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
18 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
19 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla to the dry mixture. Beat until combined. Slowly pour in boiling water and stir until smooth — the batter will be quite thin.
04 - Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
05 - Toss sliced strawberries with granulated sugar and lemon juice. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to macerate and release their juices.
06 - Heat heavy cream in a saucepan just until it begins to simmer. Pour over chopped semisweet chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Stir until completely smooth. Allow to cool slightly until thickened but still pourable.
07 - If using, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
08 - Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread macerated strawberries over the top (reserve a few for garnish), then drizzle with half the ganache. Optionally spread whipped cream over the strawberries.
09 - Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Pour remaining ganache over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Garnish with reserved strawberries.
10 - Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour to allow the layers to set. Slice and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of deeply chocolatey cake and bright, jammy strawberries tastes like the fanciest bakery creation but comes together with everyday pantry ingredients.
- Ganache sounds intimidating until you realize it is just two ingredients and two minutes of patience.
- It freezes beautifully unfrosted, so you can bake the layers on a Tuesday and assemble on Saturday without stress.
02 -
- The boiling water step is not optional and the batter will look alarmingly thin, but that liquid consistency is exactly what produces the moist, tender crumb everyone will compliment you on.
- Let the cake layers cool completely before assembling, because even slightly warm cake will melt the ganache into a puddle and your beautiful layers will slide apart.
- Ganache that has cooled too much and become stiff can be gently reheated in ten second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each burst until it reaches a pourable consistency again.
03 -
- Line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment paper rounds before greasing and flouring, because this one extra step guarantees your layers will release cleanly without sticking or tearing.
- Tap each filled cake pan gently on the counter before baking to release trapped air bubbles, which prevents those odd tunnels and holes inside the crumb.