This homemade cake is made up of 3 layers of fluffy and soft chocolate cake. It lathered in a fresh strawberry buttercream and garnished with chocolate ganache!
I know that I say this every year, but I can’t believe another year has gone by. That means that Addie is now 13 (!!) and we officially have a teenager in the house.
Addie had a chorus/music competition on her birthday, so she and her chorus ensemble missed a full day of school to travel and compete. The music festival was held at theme park, so after they performed, they were able to enjoy the rest of the day at the park. It was a long day for the kids, as they arrived at school by 7:45am and didn’t return home until close to 9:00pm.
We sang a very quick rendition of Happy Birthday to her when she got home, and she enjoyed a tiny slice of this birthday cake that she asked me to bake for her. It was soft and fluffy, and I especially enjoyed the strawberry buttercream and chocolate ganache that was paired with it.
The next day, we spent the evening at Hamilton, as it was in town. Thankfully, I was able to secure us some tickets in the orchestra level (they were GREAT seats!). We had a great time celebrating Addie’s birthday weekend and still can’t believe she’s 13!
Husband’s rating: 5 out of 5 (a perfect score!)
Addie’s rating: 4.5 out of 5
My rating: 4.5 out of 5
Chocolate strawberry cake
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 and ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 and ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil I used canola
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Fresh strawberry buttercream
- 1 and ½ cups (3 sticks or 18 Tablespoons) unsalted butter room temperature
- pinch salt
- 6-8 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup strawberries chopped (about 6 whole strawberries)
Ganache
- 3 and ½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped (I used chocolate chips)
- ½ cup heavy cream
Garnish
- fresh strawberries for decorating, optional
Instructions
Bake the cake
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Generously grease and line three 8" or 9" round pans and set aside.
- In a measuring cup or heat-proof bowl, mix together the cocoa powder with the boiling water. Mix well so it is free of lumps and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the batter.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. I did this by hand with a spatula.
- Add in the oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla and mix well. I mixed some by hand and then switched to my stand mixer to do the rest.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the cocoa mixture and mix until smooth and free of lumps.
- Evenly distribute the batter into your prepared baking pans.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting. I allowed mine to cool for about an hour. Run a knife along the edge of each cake to loosen it up.
Make the fresh strawberry buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time.
- Add in the fresh strawberries and mix until your buttercream turns a pale pink. Set aside.
Assemble the cake
- If your cake has domed, use a serrated knife to cut off the tops (save it for snacking!). Put the flat side down on a cake board or serving plate.
- Add about ½ cup of the buttercream and spread it evenly on top of your cake.
- Top with another cake, with the flat side facing up. Add frosting and smooth the top.
- Add the final layer of cake, flat side down. Gently press down on the top of the cakes to adhere them all together.
- Add a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake - this is your crumb coat. Place your cake in the refrigerator and allow it to set.
- Once the crumb coat has set, add the remaining frosting on the top and sides of your cake, making sure to smooth it out. Place the cake back in the refrigerator to allow the frosting to set another 30 minutes.
Make the ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) in a small heatproof bowl.
- Microwave the heavy cream until it bubbles (about 1 minute). Pour it directly on top of the chocolate and allow it to sit undisturbed for about 2-3 minutes. Then whisk vigorously until smooth.
- Pour the ganache on top of the cake and allow some to drip down the sides.
- Place the cake bake in the refrigerator to allow the ganache to set.
- If desired, garnish with fresh strawberries and/or chocolate curls.
- Slice and enjoy!