Strawberry Chocolate Cake (Printer-friendly)
Moist chocolate layers with macerated strawberries and silky ganache, finished with fresh berries and chocolate shavings.
# 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)
# How to Make It:
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 smooth and no lumps remain.
04 - Gradually pour in the hot water while mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. The batter will be thin — this is normal.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 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, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Let the mixture macerate for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the strawberries release their juices.
08 - Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 3 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. 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 macerated strawberry slices in a single layer on top.
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 Tips:
01 -
- The cake batter is deliberately thin, which sounds wrong but produces the most tender, moist crumb you will ever slice into.
- Fresh strawberries and chocolate ganache together create a flavor pairing that feels indulgent without being cloying.
02 -
- The batter will look alarmingly runny, almost like a thin soup, and every instinct will tell you to add more flour. Resist. That thinness is what makes the cake extraordinarily moist.
- Ganache needs patience. If you try to spread it while it is still warm and loose, it will cascade off the cake in messy waves. Give it time to thicken at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
03 -
- Dust your parchment rounds with cocoa powder instead of flour so you never get those pale, powdery streaks on the outside of your dark cake layers.
- When chopping chocolate for ganache, use a serrated knife and press gently. Uneven chunks melt inconsistently and leave grainy bits in an otherwise flawless glaze.