Strawberry Chocolate Cake (Print Version)
Moist chocolate cake with fresh strawberry filling and silky ganache, chilled for neat slices and elegant serving.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Cake
01 - 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ½ cup vegetable oil
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - ¾ cup hot water
→ Strawberry Filling
12 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
13 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
→ Chocolate Ganache
15 - 8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
16 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Decoration
17 - Whole or halved fresh strawberries
18 - Chocolate shavings (optional)
# Preparation Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and sugar until evenly distributed.
03 - Add the eggs, vegetable oil, whole milk, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Beat until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
04 - Gradually pour in the hot water while mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. The batter will be thin — this is expected.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
06 - Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Combine the sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the strawberries release their juices.
08 - Place the chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil, then immediately pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 3 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Allow the ganache to cool until thickened but still spreadable.
09 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a thin, even layer of ganache over the top, then arrange the strawberry slices in a single layer over the ganache.
10 - Place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining ganache evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with whole or halved strawberries and chocolate shavings if desired.
11 - Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean, even cuts.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The batter looks impossibly thin but bakes into the most tender, fudgy crumb you will ever cut into.
- Fresh strawberries macerated in lemon and sugar create this bright, jammy layer that cuts right through the richness of the ganache.
02 -
- Opening the oven door before the 25 minute mark to check on the cake will let all the heat escape and cause the center to sink irreversibly.
- The ganache needs time to thicken at room temperature, and if you rush it into the fridge it will harden unevenly and become impossible to spread smoothly.
03 -
- Use the darkest, most fragrant cocoa powder you can find because it is doing most of the flavor work and a cheap one will taste flat no matter what else you do.
- Let the ganache cool until it is the consistency of nut butter before spreading, any thinner and it will slide right off the cake in dramatic waterfalls.