Description
This Strawberry Chocolate Cake is a show-stopping dessert layered with rich, moist chocolate cake, silky chocolate ganache, and fresh, juicy strawberries. Elegant yet easy to make, it’s the perfect treat for birthdays, holidays, or whenever you’re craving a luxurious chocolate and berry combo.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water or brewed coffee
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream
For the Filling and Topping:
- 1½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced or halved
- Optional: ¼ cup strawberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Slowly stir in the hot water or coffee until batter is fully combined (it will be thin).
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- To make ganache, heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate and let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Once cakes are cool, spread ganache over one layer, top with sliced strawberries (and jam, if using). Add second cake layer.
- Cover cake with remaining ganache and decorate with halved strawberries on top.
Notes
- Add chopped strawberries to the batter for extra fruitiness.
- Use whipped cream instead of ganache between layers for a lighter version.
- Turn this into cupcakes or a sheet cake for easier serving.
- Let the cake sit at room temp before serving for the perfect texture.
