Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Make Chocolate Strawberry Cake with rich chocolate layers, strawberry filling, and silky chocolate Swiss buttercream.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (285g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ½ cup (40 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tablespoon (5g) espresso powder (optional)
- 2 ½ teaspoons (9 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 ¼ cup (296 ml) hot brewed coffee
- 2 cups (303g) strawberries, pureed
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9g), all-purpose flour, sifted
- 10 large egg whites
- 2 ½ cups (475 g) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (680g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 12 ounces (452 g) dark chocolate bar
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and prepare the pans
Preheat the oven and prepare three 8-inch round pans by lining each bottom with a circle of parchment and greasing the sides, then dusting very lightly with an even mix of flour and cocoa. This step sets the stage: make sure the pans sit evenly on the counter and the parchment is pressed flat so the layers will bake with uniform edges.
Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla until the mixture lightens slightly in color and feels cohesive. Fold in the room-temperature sour cream and continue mixing until the batter feels smooth and satiny — the motion should lift and stretch the mixture, creating a slightly glossy, emollient texture.
Step 3: Combine dry ingredients with coffee to form the batter
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (if using), baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl. Add half the dry mix to the wet ingredients, then pour half the hot brewed coffee and mix gently on low until the flour just disappears; repeat with the remaining dry mix and coffee. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, folding from the bottom up until the batter is homogenous, glossy, and pourable with a thick ribbon-like fall.
Step 4: Portion, bake and cool the layers
Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans (about 1 2/3 cups per pan), smooth the tops with an offset spatula so they rise evenly, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the layers from their pans and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack so they can be handled and leveled without tearing.
Step 5: Make the strawberry filling
Roughly chop the strawberries and puree them until smooth. In a small saucepan combine the puree, lemon juice, sugar and the tablespoon of flour and bring to a vigorous simmer, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and glazes slightly. Reduce to a gentle simmer for a few minutes to develop brightness, then cool completely in the fridge until it is thick but still spoonable.
Step 6: Chop and temper the chocolate
Chop the dark chocolate into small, uniform nickel-sized pieces so it melts evenly. Gently melt the chocolate in short bursts (or over a double-boiler off-frame) until smooth and glossy, then set aside to cool to a warm, pourable consistency — it should still be fluid enough to drizzle into buttercream without seizing.
Step 7: Prepare the Swiss meringue base
Wipe your stainless-steel bowl with vinegar and combine the egg whites and sugar in the bowl set over a shallow water bath (the water should not touch the bowl). Stir constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches a warm-syrupy stage. Transfer to the stand mixer and whip from low to high speed until the meringue is glossy, has stiff peaks, and the bowl feels cool to the touch.
Step 8: Build the buttercream and finish with chocolate
With the mixer on low, add room-temperature butter tablespoon by tablespoon, accepting that the mixture may look broken at times; keep scraping down the bowl. Switch to the paddle, add vanilla, then slowly drizzle the cooled melted chocolate into the buttercream while beating until smooth, dense and shiny with stiff peaks — a chocolate Swiss buttercream that holds piping detail.
Step 9: Level, layer, crumb-coat and decorate
Level each cake by removing domes, place the first round on the cake board and pipe a thick frosting dam around the edge. Spoon half the chilled strawberry filling into the dam, top with a thin layer of frosting to lock it in, then repeat with the second layer and the remaining filling before crowning with the final round. Use a piping bag and an offset spatula to fill gaps, apply a thin crumb coat and chill briefly. Finish by frosting the top and sides smoothly, create an outer rim indentation with the spatula as you rotate, and pipe large star florets with an Ateco 846 tip. Garnish with glossy, dark chocolate–dipped strawberries and a decorative ruffle around the base, then serve.
Notes
- Use a digital scale for consistent measurements.
- Ensure egg whites and sugar reach the warm-syrupy stage for stable meringue.
- Bring butter to room temperature for a smooth buttercream.
- Cool the strawberry filling completely before assembling to avoid loosening the buttercream.
- Store cake chilled if your kitchen is warm to preserve the filling.