Description
Indulge in this absolutely decadent chocolate covered strawberry cake, guaranteed to impress! This step-by-step guide walks you through creating moist chocolate layers, a luscious strawberry filling, and a silky chocolate ganache for the ultimate dessert experience.
Ingredients
- For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups (400g) Granulated Sugar
- ¾ cup (75g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup (240ml) Buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) Neutral Oil (vegetable or canola)
- ½ cup (120g) Sour Cream, room temperature
- 2 large Eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- For the Strawberry Filling:
- 2 cups (approx. 300g) Fresh Strawberries, hulled and diced
- ¼ cup (50g) Granulated Sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Water
- For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) Heavy Cream
- 12 oz (340g) High-Quality Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Prepare Cake Pans & Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
- 2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until no lumps remain.
- 3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- 4. Mix Batter & Bake: Gradually add wet ingredients to dry; mix on low speed until just combined. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes in pans, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- 5. Make Strawberry Filling: In a saucepan, combine diced strawberries, ¼ cup sugar, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp water. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until strawberries soften and mixture thickens (10-12 mins). Cool completely.
- 6. Make Chocolate Ganache: Heat heavy cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let cool and thicken to a spreadable consistency.
- 7. Assemble Cake: Once cakes are completely cool, level if needed. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread cooled strawberry filling evenly, leaving a small border. Top with second cake layer. Frost entire cake with chocolate ganache. Garnish as desired.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins