How to make this chocolate strawberry cake recipe at home perfect for a birthday party or any other occasion to celebrate with your family.

It's a very easy and rich chocolate cake recipe loaded with a perfect moist buttermilk chocolate cake, a whipped chocolate ganache, and some fresh strawberries.

Best Strawberry Chocolate Cake

If you love chocolate cake and strawberries then you will enjoy this fruity and chocolatey combination in this perfect strawberry and chocolate cake.

This strawberry chocolate layer cake is made with a moist and rich chocolate flavor cake, filled with a delicious chocolate frosting that goes perfectly with fresh strawberries that you can easily replace with other red fruits like fresh berries.

This decadent chocolate cake is made of only 2 preparations, which makes this a great recipe and very easy even if you are not very familiar with this kind of cake.

Just follow the instructions to make the Buttermilk chocolate cake and a very easy homemade whipped chocolate ganache. Don't miss my tips to make the cake and watch the video (coming soon)

I was surprised by this combo of strawberry and chocolate it's a beautiful pairing and I'm sure this recipe will please chocolate lovers as much as anyone who likes strawberry desserts.

This strawberry chocolate cake is really perfect for special occasions, like a birthday cake, a wedding cake, or any other special occasion to share with the family.

>> See all the layer cakes recipes of the blog

Composition of this recipe

Chocolate Buttermilk cake

This chocolate strawberry cake is made with my chocolate buttermilk cake recipe, which is a delicious chocolate sponge cake recipe with a very moist and chocolatey texture.

As its name indicates, it is made of buttermilk whose acidity helps balance the other ingredients and brings a more tender texture. You will not need to soak it because it is so moist in the mouth.

Buttermilk can be easily replaced by plain yogurt or sour cream, or you can make your own buttermilk by simply adding 1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar to your dairy milk.

Whipped ganache

For the chocolate frosting, I chose the dark chocolate whipped ganache recipe to go with strawberries. This chocolate ganache is only made of 2 ingredients, baking chocolate, and full heavy cream.

Compared to the simple chocolate ganache recipe, it contains a higher ratio of cream and elle est fouettée jusqu'à obtenir une texture aérienne, onctueuse et ferme.

It has a delicious chocolate taste and a fluffy texture like buttercream but is much lighter and tastier. Perfect for filling a layer cake, smoothing the outside, or decorating with a pastry bag.

You will find the quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card below.

Slice of chocolate cake on a plate with forks and strawberries

Useful tools needed to make this cake

6 inch/ 15 cm round cake pans (8-10 slices)
Stand mixer or a hand mixer
Offset spatula
Icing smoother
Cake decorating turntable
Pastry bag and a 1B tip

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How to make Strawberry Chocolate Cake

1 - Chocolate cake batter

Preheat the oven to 329°F / 165°C and line 3 round cake pans with parchment paper.
In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix eggs, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and oil until pale.
Stir in buttermilk and black coffee.
Then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while mixing with a hand whisk until you have a smooth mixture without lumps.
Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes.
Allow the chocolate cake layers to cool slightly before removing them from the pan and let them cool completely upside down on a wire rack.
Then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Tip: Preferably use 3 cake pans for baking the cake layers or bake in one pan at a time. Do not open the oven door during baking time.

2 - Whipped chocolate frosting

Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and melt in a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl until the chocolate is completely melted.
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the heavy cream.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and mix immediately with a spatula.
Add the other room temperature heavy cream and mix again.
Cover on contact with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
On the day of the assembly, whisk the chocolate ganache with a mixer at medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy and firm.

Tips: The ganache should be made at least 1 day in advance. Preferably use your stand mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric mixer to whip the ganache.

3 - Assembly the cake

Cut out the bumps of the 3 cooled cake layers so they are level and for easier set up using a cake leveler or a serrated knife.
Place the first layer of chocolate cake on a cake board and on your decorating turntable.
Using a piping bag filled with whipped ganache, pipe a layer of the filling onto the chocolate cake, then add an extra puff to the outer edges.
Fill the center with chopped strawberries, cover with the whipped ganache and smooth with an offset spatula.
Place the second layer of cake and repeat the last step until you reach the last layer of cake.

Tip: for an even fruitier taste you can replace the strawberries with strawberry puree or add strawberry jam.

Chocolate sponge cake with ganache and strawberries

4 - Smoothing the cake

Immediately spread frosting on the whole cake and smooth with an angled spatula to enclose the crumbs.
Then place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Then add a final layer of whipped ganache over the entire cake and smooth with an icing smoother.

Tip: Use a cake board that is about 5 cm larger than the cake to help smooth out the ganache and define the thickness.

You may also like: How to perfectly frost a layer cake.

Chocolate cake with whipped ganache on a turntable

5 - Cake decoration

Using a pastry bag fitted with a piping tip, fill with the remaining frosting (I use a 1B nozzle here). Decorate the top of the cake by making swirls on the top.
Place the remaining strawberries slices on each swirl to decorate.
Then place the chocolate and strawberry cake in the fridge for at least 1 hour before putting it on a cake stand and serving it.

Decorating option:

Ganache drizzle: You can also add a chocolate drizzle on top by melting the same amount of chocolate chips and heavy cream in the microwave until you have runny chocolate.

Pour the cooled melted chocolate over the top of the cake just before decorating it with a piping bag like in my kinder cake recipe.

Chocolate covered strawberry cake option: Dip strawberries in melted chocolate in the microwave and let them cool completely. Then place the chocolate covered strawberries on the top of your cake to decorate it.

Storage and freezing

You can store the cake in the refrigerator under plastic wrap or in an airtight container for about 2 - 4 days.

To freeze, place cake slices in a storage box with a tight-fitting lid or wrap in cling film and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Let them slowly defrost in the refrigerator or you can use the defrost function of your microwave for a faster way.

More strawberry recipes

Slice of chocolate and strawberry cake on a plate and a strawberry

More chocolate cakes

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Chocolate strawberry cake

Author: Fadela
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 10 parts

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Description

Strawberry chocolate cake recipe, rich and moist chocolate sponge cake with a chocolate whipped ganache frosting and strawberries (for a 6 inch/ 15 cm cake 8-10 slices)

Ingredients

Chocolate sponge cake :

225 g (1 ½ cups) Flour - all-purpose
345 g ( 1 ½ cups) Sugar - powdered
80 g (¾ cup) Cocoa powder - unsweetened
1 teaspoon baking soda - approx. 6 g
1 teaspoon baking powder - approx. 6 g
½ teaspoon salt - about 3 g
3 eggs - at room temperature
160 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil - sunflower or grape seed oil
190 ml (⅔ cup) Buttermilk - or plain yogurt or sour cream
170 ml (⅔ cup) Coffee or water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped chocolate ganache

400 g (14 oz) baking chocolate - semi-sweet
400 ml (13 ½ oz - 1 ⅓ cup) heavy cream - full fat
400 ml (13 ½ oz - 1 ⅓ cup) heavy cream - full fat at room temperature
200 g (1 cup) fresh strawberries

Instructions

Chocolate cake

Preheat the oven to 329°F / 165°C and line three 6 inch/ 15 cm diameter round cake pans with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
In another large bowl, mix the eggs with the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and oil with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and smooth.
Add the buttermilk and black coffee and mix again with a mixer.
Add the dry ingredients in batches and gently fold in with a hand whisk until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
Divide the mixture into 3 and pour into the prepared pans.
Bake the 3 pans together for 35 minutes or if you only have one pan then bake in 3 batches for about 20 minutes.
Check with a toothpick by plunging it into the center of the cake, it should come out clean or with crumbs.
Let the cake cool a little in the pan before removing from the pan and cooling completely upside down on a cooling rack.
Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Whipped chocolate ganache

Cut or finely chop the chocolate and place it in a bowl.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave until it is completely melted.
Place 400 ml of heavy cream in a saucepan and heat it to a simmer over medium heat.
Pour the hot cream over the melted chocolate in batches and stir between each addition with a spatula to make the emulsion and until it is smooth.
Pour in the 400 ml of room temperature heavy cream and mix again to incorporate it.
Blend with an immersion blender if necessary to smooth the ganache and remove any lumps.
Cover with cling film and place in the fridge overnight (at least 6 hours).

Assembly and decoration

Cut the bump of each cake layers to have even levels with a cake leveller or a large knife.
Beat the cold ganache with an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment at medium speed for about 3 minutes until you have a smooth, firm texture.
Fill a pastry bag with the whipped ganache.
Place the first layer of chocolate cake on a cake board and on your turntable.
Cover with the ganache frosting and place pieces of strawberries in the center and cover again with the chocolate frosting.
Place the second layer of cake and repeat the last step until you reach the 3rd layer of cake.
Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of ganache and smooth it with an offset spatula. Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Cover the entire cake with the ganache and smooth with icing smoother.
Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining ganache and decorate with strawberry pieces.
Place the finished chocolate and strawberry cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Equipment

Stand mixer

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Hand mixer