CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY FILLING

A deliciously decadent chocolate cake with fresh strawberry cream cheese filling made even richer when covered with the creamiest chocolate cream cheese frosting.

The step-by-step directions make it easy to create this showstopper of a dessert. It’s perfect for chocolate lovers, cheesecake lovers, and everyone in-between. Serve it for all those special occasions like holidays, birthdays, and, of course, Valentine’s Day!

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

This layer cake is super moist and extremely rich. Chocolate flavor abounds in the layers and it doesn’t stop there! Topped off with a creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting it’s a chocolate lover’s dream come true. Of course, the magic combo of a chocolate cake with strawberries truly makes this dessert a standout! It’s a cake everyone is sure to fall in love with.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY FILLED CAKE

• Stunning cake. The bright pink strawberry cream cheese layer pops in between the dark chocolate cakes.
• Iconic flavors. Chocolate and strawberries are indulgent ingredients that go really well together.
• Moist & rich – the perfect chocolate lover’s cake!
• Infused with Grand Marinier. When you add liquor to cake batter, it enhances the naturally smoky notes in the cocoa powder.
• Easy to decorate. All you have to do is add the chocolate frosting and then garnish with fresh strawberries.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

The list of ingredients for making the chocolate cake, strawberry filling, and chocolate ganache may look long, but don’t be intimidated. A cake made from scratch is so much better than any from a box.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE:

• White granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Cocoa powder – use an unsweetened cocoa powder either chocolate or dark chocolate
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Eggs
• Buttermilk
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract
• Strong coffee
• Grand Marnier

FOR THE STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FILLING:

• Cream cheese – use full fat cream cheese for best results.
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Sour cream
• Strawberries

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• Cream cheese – use full fat cream cheese for the richest and best frosting.
• Butter
• Powdered sugar
• Cocoa powder – unsweetened regular or dark cocoa powder can be used
• Vanilla extract
• Heavy cream

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE

You will first make the chocolate cake layers, then the strawberry cream filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting. Finally, you’ll be decorating the cake with fruit and flowers. Here are the recipe steps for the cake components:

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 8″ cake pans, then line the bottom with parchment paper and grease it.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Stir well and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together.
4. Pour oil into egg-buttermilk mixture.
5. Add vanilla extract.
6. Whisk well and set aside.

7. Combine the wet and dry ingredients
8. Mix well.
9. Pour in strong coffee.
10. Add Grand Marnier.
11. Stir just until blended.
12. Pour into prepared cake pans.

13. Cake batter in pans ready to be baked.
14. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool in pans for 20 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY FILLING FOR CAKE

1. Place softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Cream together until smooth.
3. Add the sour cream.
4. Pour in vanilla extract.

5. Beat until smooth. Stir in pureed strawberries adding just enough to keep the cheesecake batter stiff.
6. Mix well.
7. Stir in diced strawberries for that extra pop of flavor.
8. Just look at that gorgeous color!

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Place cream cheese in bowl and cream well.
2. Add butter.
3. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
4. Add sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract
5. Pour in 1 tablespoon of cream.
6. Beat until creamy. If it is too thick to spread, add the additional cream. I usually find I have to add both tablespoons.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE (STACK AND FROST) A LAYER CAKE

1. Place one cake layer on a serving dish. Add a ring of frosting around edge. This frosting edge helps to keep the strawberry filling from oozing out the sides. You can either use a ziploc bag with the corner cut out or a piping bag with tip.
2. Spread a generous layer of strawberry filling in the center of the layer out to the frosting.
3. Top with second layer.
4. Pipe frosting around cake edge once again and spread with the remaining strawberry filling.
5. Top with the final layer.
6. Spread with chocolate cream cheese frosting.

2CM Tip: Make a 6-layer cake by cutting each of the layers in half horizontally. You will need to make more filling for the extra layers.

HOW TO DECORATE A CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND ROSES

After frosting the sides and top of the chocolate & strawberry cake, pipe a little frosting where you would like to place strawberries. Place a strawberry on top of the frosting and lightly press down to hold it in place.

Now fill in the gaps around the edge with roses or other flowers of your choice. Fill in the center with more flowers, strawberries, whole or sliced, or even chocolate shavings.

Chill the cake to make it easier to slice. Just a note, prior to serving I like to remove any decoration I have added to the center as it will interfere with the slicing.

Believe it or not, anyone can make this cake. And decorating it is so much fun. Doesn’t it just look ready to WOW for that special occasion? All that deep chocolate richness full of fresh, beautiful pink strawberry filling is calling your name!

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