Chocolate Strawberry Cake

published Feb 2, 2023
Post Image
Credit: Kayla Hoang

A chocolate covered strawberry-inspired cake made up of essential four components: moist chocolate cake, bright and vibrant strawberry buttercream, silky chocolate ganache, and fresh strawberries.

Serves10 to 12

Makes1 (3-layer) 8-inch cake

Prep55 minutes

Cook58 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes

Jump to Recipe
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
Credit: Kayla Hoang

Chocolate and strawberries come together in this decadent layered cake that’s sure to impress any loved one. Perfect for Valentine’s Day (but delicious year-round), this no-mixer-required (!) chocolate cake is wrapped in a vibrant strawberry buttercream and adorned with a silky chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries. It’s chocolate-y and luxurious, while also being bright, fruity, and fresh — all the attributes that make chocolate-covered strawberries so delightful! 

Whereas many strawberry buttercream frostings opt for fresh berries (which are riddled with water and can be problematic when combined with butter) or freeze-dried strawberries (which are becoming more readily available, but aren’t necessarily feasible for all), I opt to flavor this buttercream with a thick, homemade strawberry purée. Although it takes a little bit of time, cooking down the strawberries to a very thick purée eliminates all the excess water and intensifies the strawberry flavor and color. To really drive the berry flavor home, part of the purée is incorporated first into the butter, as fat carries flavor and then the rest is added at the end. This combination of techniques yields the most vibrant, berry-forward buttercream, pairing perfectly with the cake and ganache. 

Credit: Kayla Hoang

Key Ingredients in Chocolate Strawberry Cake

This cake and its components use many of the basics — eggs, flour, sugar, etc. — but several ingredients used throughout make it really special. 

  • Buttermilk in the batter helps keep the cake moist and tender and provides the slightest tang to bring balance to the cake. 
  • Vanilla extract in the batter and buttercream rounds everything out, actually helping to bring out the chocolate and strawberry notes. 
  • Freshly brewed strong coffee (plus a little added insurance from an extra spike of instant espresso powder) amps up the flavor of the chocolate in the cake. 
  • A thick purée made from fresh strawberries gives the buttercream a vibrant color and flavor.
  • Lemon zest in the purée amplifies and brightens the berry flavor. 
  • Chopped bittersweet chocolate (not chips) in the ganache creates the perfect viscosity for drips, and the darker flavor creates the perfect balance between the cake and buttercream. 

What You Can (and Shouldn’t) Make Ahead

  • The cake layers can be baked a day ahead of assembling. After baking, cool the cakes completely and then tightly wrap each layer in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. 
  • The strawberry purée can be made a day ahead of assembling. After cooking it down, transfer the thick purée to an airtight container and keep chilled in the refrigerator. 
  • Don’t make the buttercream or the ganache ahead of time. The buttercream is easiest to work with the day it’s made, and the ganache is best used within minutes of being made while still warm and fluid. 

Tips for Baking and Assembling Chocolate Strawberry Cake

Making layered cakes can be a lengthy and intimidating process, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some tips to help you break up the process and guide you along the way.

  • Bake the cake in batches. Don’t have three cake pans? It’s OK! This batter is relatively forgiving and can be baked in batches. Bake and cool the first batch of cakes as instructed. After removing the cakes from the pans to cool, wash and dry the pans and then prepare by spraying with cooking spray, lining the bottom with parchment, spraying once more, and dusting with flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake as instructed. 
  • Adjust the powdered sugar in the buttercream according to taste. But note that the cake tastes best when the buttercream has a slight tang to cut through the richness of the chocolate.
  • Use chopped chocolate bars. Stabilizers in chocolate chips can keep the chocolate from melting completely, resulting in small lumps. Additionally, ganache made from chocolate chips can sometimes be thicker, resulting in a clunkier chocolate drip. 
  • Use a turntable. It’s really helpful in getting a smooth buttercream surface. If you don’t have one, no worries — lean into texture!

Chocolate Strawberry Cake Recipe

A chocolate covered strawberry-inspired cake made up of essential four components: moist chocolate cake, bright and vibrant strawberry buttercream, silky chocolate ganache, and fresh strawberries.

Prep time 55 minutes

Cook time 58 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes

Makes 1 (3-layer) 8-inch cake

Serves 10 to 12

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 cup

    low-fat buttermilk

  • 3

    large eggs

  • Cooking spray

  • 2 1/4 cups

    all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans

  • 1 cup

    natural unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 cups

    granulated sugar

  • 1 3/4 teaspoons

    baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 3/4 teaspoon

    baking soda

  • 1 cup

    neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    instant espresso powder (optional)

  • 1 cup

    warm or hot freshly brewed, strong coffee

For the strawberry buttercream:

  • 5 sticks

    (1 1/4 pounds) unsalted butter

  • 1 1/4 pounds

    fresh strawberries

  • 5 teaspoons

    granulated sugar

  • 2 pinches

    kosher salt, divided

  • 1/2

    medium lemon

  • 3 3/4 to 4 cups

    powdered sugar, divided

  • 1/3 cup

    heavy cream

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    vanilla extract

For the ganache and decorating:

  • 3 ounces

    bittersweet chocolate (about 60%, not chocolate chips)

  • 1 pinch

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup

    heavy cream

  • Fresh strawberries, washed and well dried

Instructions

Show Images

Make the cake:

  1. Place 1 cup low-fat buttermilk and 3 large eggs in a medium bowl. Let sit on the counter until room temperature.

  2. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat the bottoms of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper round. Lightly spray the sides and parchment-lined bottoms of each pan with cooking spray. Dust each pan with flour to prevent sticking. Tap out as much excess flour as possible so that the pans are coated with a very thin layer of flour.

  3. (If you don’t have three pans, the cake can be baked in batches. Bake and cool the first batch of cakes as instructed. After removing the cakes from the pans to cool, wash and dry the pans and then prepare by spraying with cooking spray, lining the bottom with parchment, spraying once more, and dusting with flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake as instructed.)

  4. Place 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder in a large bowl and whisk until combined and lump-free (if your cocoa is very lumpy, sift it into the bowl). Add 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 3/4 teaspoon baking soda. Whisk until combined.

  5. Add 1 cup neutral oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the eggs and buttermilk and whisk until combined. Add 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder if using and 1 cup hot or warm freshly brewed, strong coffee. Stir to combine.

  6. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. (The batter will be thick and there may be some dry bits.) Add the coffee and whisk until smooth.

  7. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans (about 18 1/2 ounces each). Bake until the tops are rounded and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.

  8. Place the pans on a wire rack and let the cakes cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Run a small offset spatula or paring knife around each cake to loosen. Flip each cake out and remove and discard the parchment. Flip again to be right-side up and place on the wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the buttercream.

Make the buttercream:

  1. Place 5 sticks unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer) and let sit at room temperature until softened. Meanwhile, make the strawberry purée.

  2. Wash and hull 1 1/4 pounds fresh strawberries (about 4 cups). Place in the bowl of a standard food processor fitted with the blade attachment (work in 2 to 3 batches if you have a mini food processor). Add 5 teaspoons granulated sugar and a pinch of kosher salt. Process into a purée, about 2 minutes.

  3. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer (slow bubbling is okay) and continue to cook, stirring often and making sure to scrape the sides, until darkened to a deep berry red color, reduced to a very thick purée, and the mixture clearly holds a line (without pooling back out) if the spatula is dragged across the bottom, 25 to 35 minutes.

  4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Finely grate the zest of 1/2 medium lemon until you have 1/2 teaspoon; add to the saucepan and stir to combine. Transfer to a small bowl or liquid measuring cup (you should have 3/4 to a scant 1 cup) and refrigerate until cooled to at least room temperature, about 1 hour.

  5. Beat the butter with the paddle attachment on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until smooth and creamy, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of the strawberry purée and beat on medium speed just until incorporated.

  6. Add 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar and add a pinch of kosher salt. Beat on low speed until the sugar and butter are mostly combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl down. Beat on medium speed until creamy and lightened, about 1 minute.

  7. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until fluffy, about 30 seconds.

  8. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the remaining strawberry purée a little at a time and beat until fully combined. Taste and beat in up to 1/4 cup more powdered sugar if desired.

Assemble the cake:

  1. Using a serrated knife, trim the rounded tops from the cake layers. Place a serving platter or cake board on a cake turntable if you have one. Place a small dollop of buttercream on the center of the platter or board. Top with one of the cake layers.

  2. Dollop 1 cup of the buttercream onto the cake layer. Spread into an even layer with an offset spatula, going all the way to the edges. Top with the second cake layer, then spread the same amount of buttercream on this layer. Top with the last cake layer with the flattest side facing up.

  3. Using an offset spatula, spread and smooth a very thin layer of buttercream (called a crumb coat) over the top and sides of the cake, filling in any gaps between the layers as you go. You should be able to see the cake through the crumb coat. Refrigerate the cake until the crumb coat is set, 15 to 30 minutes.

  4. Frost the entire cake with the remaining buttercream. Use an offset spatula and/or bench scraper (or alternatively another straight-edged tool) to smooth the buttercream.

  5. Refrigerate the cake for at least 10 minutes to firm up the buttercream. This helps to reduce the risk of the warm ganache melting the buttercream. Note that the colder the cake, the faster the ganache will set. Meanwhile, make the ganache.

Make the ganache:

  1. Finely chop 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate. Place in a small bowl and add a pinch of kosher salt. Bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a steady simmer (steaming and bubbling along the edges) over medium heat in a very small saucepan; do not let it boil.

  2. Immediately pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is silky, smooth, and fluid. Let cool for 1 minute before using. The ganache should be warm and fluid, but not so hot that it will melt the buttercream.

  3. For very controlled, defined drips: Use a piping bag filled with some of the ganache or small spoonfuls of ganache to create the chocolate drips around the perimeter of the cake). Fill the top of the cake with the remaining ganache. Using the back of a spoon or small offset spatula, gently smooth the top while pushing the ganache towards the edge to connect with the drips.

  4. For a more organic-looking, blanket of ganache: Spoon all of the ganache on top of the cake and gently smooth with the back of the spoon or small offset spatula, coaxing some of the ganache towards the top edge to drip down.

  5. Let the ganache set slightly, about 15 minutes. Decorate the top with fresh, whole and/or halved strawberries as desired.

Recipe Notes

Chocolate substitution: Semi-sweet chocolate can be used in place of bittersweet in the ganache, but note that the finished cake will be slightly sweeter.

Make ahead: The cake layers can be baked up to 1 day ahead. Let cool completely, then tightly wrap each layer in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. The strawberry purée can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

The cake can also be assembled and decorated (just short of topping with fresh berries) up to 1 day before serving. The cake can be stored on a cake stand with a cloche or in a cake carrier and left at room temperature overnight or refrigerated. If refrigerating, the frosted cake does not necessarily need to be covered, however, the buttercream will absorb odors from the refrigerator if particularly odorous. If refrigerated, let the cake come to room temperature before serving. Decorate the cake with fresh strawberries right before serving.

Storage: The cut cake can be stored with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against the cut sides and covered for up to 1 day at room temperature or 1 week in the refrigerator. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving.