Chocolate Strawberry Cake
User Reviews
5
Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Description
This cake combines quality semi-sweet chocolate melted into hot coffee with cocoa powder, creating a deep chocolate base that’s well-integrated with flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Eggs at room temperature are beaten until thick and lemony, then combined with oil, buttermilk, and vanilla for a tender crumb. The batter bakes slowly at 300°F until a toothpick comes out clean, ensuring moist layers.
The frosting is stabilized whipped cream, prepared by dissolving gelatin in water before whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla, optionally enhanced with Kahlúa for additional flavor. The cake layers sandwich fresh chopped strawberries, with sliced strawberries used as garnish, adding juicy acidity that contrasts the richness. The combination creates a dessert that is creamy, moist, subtly textured, and versatile for celebrations.
The stabilized whipped cream holds shape well, suitable for making the cake ahead or for warmer weather. Both cake and frosting keep overnight, and the layers can be frozen up to two months. Using high-quality chocolate positively impacts overall flavor, and freshly sliced strawberries provide visual appeal and fresh sweetness.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped (I love Guittard, good quality
- 1 ½ cups fresh hot coffee (decaf is fine)
- 1 ½ cups cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups white sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 3 egg room temp, large
- ¾ cups vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk see notes
For the Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting:
- 16 tsp water
- 4 tsp gelatin Knox plain
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream very cold
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 TB powdered sugar
- 2 T Kahlúa optional
For the Filling:
- strawberry chopped (about 1/2 cup, give or take, fresh
- strawberries for garnish, sliced
Instructions
For the Cake (can be made 1 day ahead)
- Preheat oven to 300F. Grease two 10x2 round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with rounds of wax paper, and grease the paper.
- Combine finely chopped chocolate with hot coffee, and stir occasionally until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside at room temp.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a second large bowl, beat eggs until thickened and lemony yellow - about 3 min with standing mixer or 5 min with hand-held mixer.
- Gradually add in oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture. Continue beating until well combined. Add flour mixture and beat on medium until just combined well.
- Divide batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake in middle rack until toothpick comes out clean or almost-clean, about 60-70 minutes.
- Cool cake completely in pans on racks. Can cool overnight at room temp, wrapped well. When cool, slowly run a thin knife around edges and invert layers. Carefully remove wax paper.
For the Frosting
- In large mixing bowl, stir in heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, powder sugar, and Kahlua. Put this bowl, along with beaters, in fridge to keep cold.
- Mix Knox gelatin with water in a microwave safe bowl. Let sit for about 10 min, for gelatin to soak up the water. Microwave for about 15-20 seconds, to melt the gelatin. Stir well, and let cool to lukewarm.
- Take out the bowl with whipped cream ingredients. Beat on medium until ribbons form. Quickly check that your gelatin mixture is still liquid and almost cool. If it has coagulated, reheat in microwave for 5 seconds. Resume beating whipped cream mixture, while slowly pouring in liquid gelatin into the mixture as it is beating. Beat to stiff peaks. Keep in fridge until ready to use.
- Mix desired amount of chopped strawberries with about 3/4 cup of the whipped cream to make the filling.
- Spread filling in between layers of chocolate cake. Frost cake with whipped cream. Garnish with strawberry slices and shaved chocolate, if desired. Cake keeps very well in fridge as long as it is covered.
Notes
- Choose a quality semi-sweet chocolate like Guittard to enhance the cake's flavor.
- Use room-temperature eggs to avoid batter curdling and ensure proper texture.
- To make buttermilk substitute, mix whole milk with vinegar and let it curdle before use.
- Stabilize whipped cream frosting with gelatin to keep it firm and avoid runniness.
- Both cake layers and frosting can be made a day ahead to save time on serving day.
- The cake layers freeze well for up to two months when wrapped properly.
- Fresh sliced strawberries add fresh flavor and attractive garnish for serving.
- Keep the cake refrigerated to maintain freshness, especially with the whipped cream frosting.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 829 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 829kcal | 41% |
| Carbohydrates | 88g | 29% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 51g | 78% |
| Saturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 10g | 59% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 146mg | 49% |
| Sodium | 301mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 414mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 59g | 118% |
| Vitamin A | 1924IU | 38% |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 147mg | 15% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
