Delightful Strawberry Chocolate Cake perfect for any occasion! A 6-inch, 3 layer chocolate cake, frosted with pink strawberry buttercream and topped with a smooth dark chocolate ganache!
The easiest and most delicious chocolate cake you'll ever make. The buttercream is bursting with strawberry flavor and the cake is so light and ultra moist! You know what the best part is? The batter comes together in less than 10 minutes and requires just one bowl!
Strawberry Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- All-Purpose Flour. Use a good quality flour, such as King Arthur.
- Cocoa Powder. Use dutch process cocoa powder for more intense chocolate flavor.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda. These leveners that are essential to help the cake rise and creates a light and fluffy texture.
- Espresso Powder - Brings out the flavor of the chocolate. If you don't have espresso powder, use hot coffee in place of the hot water (see below).
- Salt. Just a little to balance out the sugar and flavors.
- White Sugar. Do not use less sugar than what is called for in this recipe. The cake isn’t very sweet. Using less will result in a dry cake.
- Buttermilk. Makes the cake tender.
- Oil. Use any neutral oil such as, avocado, canola, or grapeseed.
- Eggs. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. You can quickly bring your eggs to temp by submerging them in hot tap water for 15 minutes.
- Vanilla. You can use vanilla paste or extract. Use a good quality vanilla for best results.
- Hot Water. Hot water will be used to “bloom” the cocoa powder and makes the cake fluffy. You can also use hot coffee instead for more intense chocolate flavor.
Strawberry Buttercream
- Unsalted Butter.
- Powdered Sugar.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries. I find mine at Trader Joe’s, but you can find them at Whole Foods and Amazon.
- Milk. Helps thin out the buttercream.
- Salt. Rounds out the sweetness.
Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate. I used bittersweet chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate.
- Heavy Cream. Makes the ganache smooth and creamy.
Strawberry Chocolate Cake Method
Chocolate Cake
Step 1. Grease and "flour" your pan with cocoa powder and line 3 6-inch (15 cm) cake pans OR 2 8-inch (20 cm) pans with parchment paper. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC).
Step 2. In your stand mixer or a large bowl, sift and combine your sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 3. Add oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla to your dry ingredients. With a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Continue whisking on low for an additional 30 seconds.
Step 4. Add hot water and mix just until combined. Another 30 seconds.
Step 5. Evenly transfer the batter to your prepared pans. I like to use a kitchen scale to ensure that they are even as possible. Bake between 30 to 35 minutes. Cakes are ready when an inserted toothpick comes out clean or the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan.
Step 6. Place pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool. Then, carefully remove cakes from the pans and place back on the wire rack to cool completely.
Pro Tip!
Place cake layers in the fridge for 1 hour before frosting. It makes it easier to spread the buttercream on the cakes.
Strawberry Buttercream
When you are ready to assemble your cake, make your buttercream.
Step 1. Using a blender or food processor, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside.
Step 2. In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add most (4 cups) of the powdered sugar, sifted freeze-dried strawberry powder, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix on low for another 30 seconds and then switch to medium-high speed and beat for 2 minutes. You can add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt to taste, starting with ½ teaspoon. I ended up added about 1 teaspoon.
Step 3. If needed, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Using an offset spatula, evenly cover the top with ½ cup of frosting (you can add more if you like a lot of frosting). Repeat with the second cake layer, adding another ½ cup of frosting. Top with the 3rd cake layer, making sure the bottom of the cake is right side up. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and around the sides as a crumb coat. Run a cake comb or bench scraper around the cake to smooth out the crumb coat. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes for the crumb coat to set up. Keep the remaining frosting out on the counter.
Step 4. Remove cake from the fridge and spread another layer of frosting all over the top and sides. Alternatively, you can leave the cake naked. Return back to the fridge.
Chocolate Ganache
Step 1. Add finely chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat your cream in a saucepan or microwave to about 200ºF (93ºC), which is right below the boiling point. Pour hot cream over your chocolate, making sure to submerge it. Cover with a tea towel and let stand, untouched for 1 minute. Slowly mix your ganache with a spatula to ensure a smooth consistency. Mixing it too quickly can create air bubbles and make the texture grainy.
Step 2. Let ganache cool slightly. Remove cake from the refrigerator and pour ganache on top of your cake. Return the cake back to the fridge for at least 15 minutes before decorating. Serve and enjoy!
EXPERT TIPS
Use a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients. It’s the best and most accurate way to bake.
If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in as it will add too much flour.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature – This includes the eggs and buttermilk. To quickly bring eggs to room temp, submerge them in a bowl of hot tap water for 15 minutes. To quickly bring your buttermilk to temp, microwave in 10 second intervals.
Do not overmix your batter – Be careful not to overmix. Overworking the batter can result in a dry and crumbly cake.
Follow the recipe exactly – I know it can be tempting to alter a recipe, but doing so can change the final outcome. For instance, 1 ¾ cups of sugar may seem like a lot, but it’s the perfect amount of sweetness and sugar is needed to keep the cake soft.
Do not overbake – Overbaking will dry out your cake. It will take about 30 minutes to bake. You’ll know when it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with clean.
If your chocolate ganache is too thick, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of HOT heavy cream and mix until combined.
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Chocolate Cake
- Total Time: 2 Hrs + 45 Mins
- Yield: 10 Slices
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ¾ Cups (350g) White Sugar
- ¾ Cup (63g) Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 ½ Tsp Baking Soda
- 1 ½ Tsp Espresso Powder
- ¾ Tsp Salt
- 1 cup (227g) Buttermilk, room temp
- ½ cup (100g) Neutral Oil (Canola, Vegetable, Avocado)
- 2 Large Eggs, room temp
- 2 Tsp Vanilla
- 1 Cup (227g) Hot Water
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 ½ Cup (340g or 3 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, room temp
- 6 Cups (680g) Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1 ½ Cup (34g) Freeze-Dried Strawberries
- 6 to 8 tablespoon Whole Milk
- 1 ½ Tsp Vanilla
- Salt to Taste (I used 1 Tsp)
Chocolate Ganache
- 3 Oz (85g) Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ (113g) Cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Grease and "flour" your pan with cocoa powder and line 3 6-inch (15 cm) cake pans OR 2 8-inch (20 cm) pans with parchment paper. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC).
- In your stand mixer or a large bowl, sift and combine your sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla to your dry ingredients. With a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Continue whisking on low for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add hot water and mix just until combined. Another 30 seconds.
- Evenly transfer the batter to your prepared pans. I like to use a kitchen scale to ensure that they are even as possible. Bake between 30 to 35 minutes. Cakes are ready when an inserted toothpick comes out clean or the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan.
- Place pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool. Then, carefully remove cakes from the pans and place back on the wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Buttercream
- Using a blender or food processor, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add most (4 cups) of the powdered sugar, sifted freeze-dried strawberry powder, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix on low for another 30 seconds and then switch to medium-high speed and beat for 2 minutes. You can add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt to taste, starting with ½ teaspoon. I ended up added about 1 teaspoon.
- If needed, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Using an offset spatula, evenly cover the top with ½ cup of frosting (you can add more if you like a lot of frosting). Repeat with the second cake layer, adding another ½ cup of frosting. Top with the 3rd cake layer, making sure the bottom of the cake is right side up. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and around the sides as a crumb coat. Run a cake comb or bench scraper around the cake to smooth out the crumb coat. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes for the crumb coat to set up. Keep the remaining frosting out on the counter.
- Remove cake from the fridge and spread another layer of frosting all over the top and sides. Alternatively, you can leave the cake naked. Return back to the fridge.
Chocolate Ganache
- Add finely chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat your cream in a saucepan or microwave to about 200ºF (93ºC), which is right below the boiling point. Pour hot cream over your chocolate, making sure to submerge it. Cover with a tea towel and let stand, untouched for 1 minute. Slowly mix your ganache with a spatula to ensure a smooth consistency. Mixing it too quickly can create air bubbles and make the texture grainy.
- Let ganache cool slightly. Remove cake from the refrigerator and pour ganache on top of your cake. Return the cake back to the fridge for at least 15 minutes before decorating. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
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