This chocolate covered strawberry cake is a three layered chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream frosting. It's filled with a fresh strawberry puree and is topped with a chocolate drip and chocolate covered strawberries!
1 ½cupsunsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature
5 ¼cupspowdered sugar
¼cupstrawberry reduction
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
4ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped and melted
10small-medium strawberries, washed and dried
Chocolate Ganache
4ouncessemisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½cupplus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper then nonstick spray. Set aside.
Chocolate Cake
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the warm water, milk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry, whisking until a wet batter forms (do not overmix).
Divide the batter amongst the three prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes come out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing and placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Frosting
Slice the tops off of the strawberries and puree them in a food processor or blender for 5 seconds. Place them in a medium-sized saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened (about 5-10 minutes). Be sure to stir occasionally. Cool completely in a small bowl in the refrigerator.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, ¼ cup strawberry puree, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined (about 30 seconds). Then increase the speed to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes (frosting should be light and creamy).
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Wash the strawberries and dry them off really well. The chocolate won't stick to the strawberries if they're wet.
In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chopped chocolate in 20-second intervals, stirring well after every 20 seconds until melted and smooth.
Dip each strawberry into the chocolate one at a time and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Then place the pan into the refrigerator so the chocolate can harden.
Chocolate Ganache
In a small bowl, add the chopped chocolate. Set aside. In a microwaveable-safe bowl, heat the heavy whipping cream until bubbling (30-45 seconds). Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 3 minutes. Then whisk together until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Assemble
If needed, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of each cake layer to create a flat surface. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate and spread about ⅔ cup of frosting. Then spread 2-3 tablespoons of the strawberry reduction in the center of the cake using an offset spatula.
Repeat with the second layer. Top the cake with the last layer and spread on about ¼ cup of frosting. Frost and smooth the outside of the cake with a thin crumb coat. Place the entire cake in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
Remove the cake from the refrigerator and finish frosting. Cover the sides and top of the cake again until frosted to your desire (use a cake scraper for a smooth finish). Place the cake in the freezer for 5 more minutes.
Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Chill for another 5 minutes. Decorate the top of the cake with extra frosting and the chocolate covered strawberries.
Keep any leftover cake slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes:
Cake Pans: This recipe calls for three 6-inch cake pans. Line each pan with parchment paper and non-stick spray.Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.Room Temperature Ingredients: Any ingredient that needs to be at room temperature should be taken out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before you want to bake. Do not skip this step! It's super important so that the ingredients can incorporate properly.Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Once assembled, place the strawberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set it in the refrigerator to chill. This helps the chocolate to firm up quickly.