Chocolate strawberry cake with soft chocolate layers, whipped chocolate ganache, and fresh strawberries, the kind of birthday cake I love making for my family.
This chocolate strawberry layer cake uses my go-to chocolate buttermilk cake base, then gets finished with a light chocolate ganache frosting and juicy strawberries.
I’ve baked a lot of layer cakes at home, and this one always works when I want real chocolate flavor with a fresh strawberry finish.
If you’re looking for a classic base, this recipe is built on my chocolate cake, a soft and reliable foundation for many layer cakes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Real chocolate flavor from a whipped ganache made with real chocolate
- Moist chocolate sponge with buttermilk that stays soft and tender
- Fresh strawberries in every layer for a bright, balanced finish
Ingredients you need
- Cake flour: sifted
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: deep chocolate flavor
- Baking soda and baking powder: leavening
- Salt and vanilla extract: balance and aroma
- Sugar: granulated
- Vegetable oil: keeps the sponge moist
- Eggs: whole eggs
- Buttermilk: full-fat
- Coffee or warm water: boosts chocolate flavor
- Baking chocolate: for the ganache
- Heavy cream: full-fat and cold
- Strawberries: fresh
Best tips for this recipe
- Weigh ingredients: ensures a moist, even chocolate sponge
- Cool completely: prevents the ganache from melting
- Chill the ganache: must be cold before whipping
- Layer gently: spread strawberries evenly for clean slices
- Chill before serving: helps the cake set and slice neatly
How to Make Chocolate Strawberry Cake
This chocolate strawberry cake follows a classic layer cake method, using soft chocolate sponge layers and a whipped ganache filling.
This cake is made with my chocolate buttermilk cake recipe, a soft and reliable base for layer cakes.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Mix oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Combine the dry ingredients with the milk and coffee, mixing until smooth and pourable.
Bake in lined cake pans at 165°C (330°F) for about 35-40 minutes, until set.
Cool completely, unmold, level the tops, and slice into even layers.
This cake is filled with my whipped chocolate ganache recipe, a light and creamy frosting perfect for layer cakes.
Chop the chocolate and pour over the warm cream, then stir until smooth.
Add the cold cream, mix, cover, and chill overnight. Whip the ganache until light, fluffy, and ready to use
Place the first cake layer on a cake board and turntable.
Pipe whipped ganache, add chopped strawberries, then cover with more ganache and smooth.
Repeat with the remaining layers, frost the cake, decorate with fresh strawberries, and chill for 1 hour before serving
Storage
- Store the chocolate strawberry cake in the fridge, well covered, for up to 2 days.
- Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate raspberry cake: replace strawberries with fresh raspberries.
- Two-layer cake: bake thicker layers for a simpler version.
- Chocolate ganache only: skip the strawberries for a full chocolate cake.
Recipe Questions
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes, bake the cake layers a day ahead and assemble shortly before serving.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Fresh strawberries work best; frozen ones release too much moisture.
Can I freeze this cake?
Freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to 1 month.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!
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Chocolate Strawberry Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Description
Chocolate strawberry cake recipe with a rich, moist chocolate sponge, whipped chocolate ganache frosting, and fresh strawberries (6-inch / 15 cm cake, serves 8–10).
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 225 g (1 ½ cups) Cake flour
- 345 g (1 ½ cups) Granulated sugar
- 80 g (¾ cup) Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (about 6 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (about 6 g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (about 3 g)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) Vegetable oil (sunflower or grapeseed)
- 190 ml (⅔ cup) Full-fat buttermilk
- 170 ml (⅔ cup) Hot coffee or water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped chocolate ganache
- 400 g (14 oz) Semi-sweet baking chocolate
- 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) Heavy cream, full fat
- 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) Heavy cream, full fat and cold
Filling
- 200 g (1 cup) Fresh strawberries
Instructions
Chocolate cake
- Preheat the oven to 329°F (165°C) and line three 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil for about 2 minutes until pale and smooth.
- Add the buttermilk and hot coffee (or water) and mix again.
- Add the dry ingredients in batches and gently whisk until smooth and lump-free.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes if baking all pans at once, or about 20 minutes per batch if using one pan.
- Check doneness with a toothpick; it should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Let cool slightly, then unmold and cool completely upside down on a rack.
- Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before assembly.
Whipped chocolate ganache
- Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a bowl.
- Heat 400 ml of heavy cream to a simmer and pour it gradually over the chocolate, stirring to form a smooth emulsion.
- Add the cold heavy cream and mix until fully incorporated.
- Blend briefly with an immersion blender if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (minimum 6 hours).
Assembly and decoration
- Level the cake layers.
- Whip the cold ganache for about 3 minutes until smooth and firm.
- Transfer the ganache to a piping bag.
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board and turntable, spread ganache, add strawberries, and cover with more ganache.
- Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Apply a thin crumb coat, chill for 20 minutes, then frost the cake completely.
- Decorate with ganache and strawberries.
- Refrigerate the finished cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store in the refrigerator, well covered, for up to 2 days. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Tips:
- Use a kitchen scale for accuracy instead of measuring cups
- Make sure the ganache is fully chilled before whipping
- Do not overwhip the ganache or it may become grainy
- Pat strawberries dry before adding to prevent excess moisture
- Chill the cake between steps for clean layers and sharp edges
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: cake, dessert, layer cake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 764
- Sugar: 38.2 g
- Sodium: 346.4 mg
- Fat: 49.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 71.7 g
- Protein: 13.3 g
- Cholesterol: 104.6 mg
Emily Colley
If I wanted to use the sponge recipe for cupcakes, how long would you recommend baking for?
Fadela
Hi, you'll have to watch the baking time, I'd say about 20 minutes for the cupcake shape.
Mel
This cake looks delicious! Can this cake be left out for a few hours or will the ganache get soft and droop as it sits out? Thanks
Fadela
Thank you for your message, no this cake is too fragile to stay out of the fridge, you need to keep it in a cool place and take it out just before serving.
Kim
How many days ahead can the whipped ganache be made
Fadela
Hi, the ganache can be prepared up to 2-3 days in advance and left to rest in the fridge, then whipped the day of use.
Grandma Jill
I made this for my grandson’s 5th birthday, today. Everything about this cake is delicious, however, my semisweet chocolate seized up which I thought it might do. I would use a darker chocolate than semisweet if I were making it again. I tried to recover my seized ganache but when I did I ran out of time because I needed to get the cake in the refrigerator so the ganache was too loose so my cake looks very amateurish and not what I was hoping for… oh, well, it will taste great and he will love it.
Melina & Chocolat
So gorgeous! And how good it must taste...
Caneylle
Absolutely beautiful
Cathy
Hello
Your cakes are very pretty! I took the liberty of sharing your recipe on my Pinterest "Coup de Coeur"!
See you soon!
Karine
Splendid. Truly impressive
Prettypendants
Your layer cake is just stunning... Majestic, sumptuous, ultra gourmand! It's so tempting. Beautiful realization, bravo. Kisses
Sean Nothnagel
Great blog thank you
Hadj
Ce gâteau est magnifique !!!
Karder
Hello