Chocolate Strawberry Cake

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.

Photos and recipe updated on 04/07/22

this recipe

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.

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

You may also like Top 10 tools you need to make better cakes!

How to make Strawberry Chocolate Cake

1 - Chocolate cake batter

1. Preheat the oven to 329°F / 165°C and line 3 round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix eggs, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and oil until pale.
4. Stir in buttermilk and black coffee.
5. Then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while mixing with a hand whisk until you have a smooth mixture without lumps.
6. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes.
8. 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.
9. 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

1. 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.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the heavy cream.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and mix immediately with a spatula.
4. Add the other room temperature heavy cream and mix again.
5. Cover on contact with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
6. 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

1. 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.
2. Place the first layer of chocolate cake on a cake board and on your decorating turntable.
3. 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.
4. Fill the center with chopped strawberries, cover with the whipped ganache and smooth with an offset spatula.
5. 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.

4 - Smoothing the cake

1. Immediately spread frosting on the whole cake and smooth with an angled spatula to enclose the crumbs.
2. Then place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
3. 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.

5 - Cake decoration

1. 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.
2. Place the remaining strawberries slices on each swirl to decorate.
3. 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 cakes

• Strawberry layer cake with diplomat cream
• Strawberry whipped cream cake
• Number cake

More chocolate cakes

• Flourless chocolate cake
• Chocolate drip cake
• Chocolate cake with vanilla whipped ganache
• Naked chocolate cake

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