Remember my Chocolate Raspberry Chip Cake that was inspired by my Chocolate Mint Chip Cake? Well, I thought we needed a Chocolate Strawberry Chip Cake too while we're at it. Layers of rich and fudgy chocolate cake are stacked with the most delicious strawberry chip buttercream.
The Strawberry Chip Buttercream gets its delicious strawberry taste from freeze dried strawberries. They'll be ground into a power ad added in to the buttercream.
I chose to make a three layer 7-inch cake, but you can also make a three layer 6-inch cake or a two layer 8-inch cake, depending on what you prefer. The cake is tender, yet sturdy enough to be stacked without needing a crumb coat. The other amazing thing about this recipe is that even if any crumbs do get swept up in the icing they’ll look like pieces of chocolate!
I chose to carefully sift the pieces of chocolate once I chopped them so I would only be incorporating the bigger pieces into the buttercream. This extra step is up to you, I just wanted the chocolate to have a cleaner, less speckled look.
A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED
Room Temperature Ingredients:Butter: It’s important that the butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
Eggs: You also want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
Measuring Your Ingredients: I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
Oven Temperature: Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.
Let's bake! Get started by preheating your oven to 350º F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed.
With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Coat three 7-inch cake pans with cooking spray or butter and cocoa powder and line the bottom of each with parchment. Evenly divide the batter into the pans. Bake for 35-38 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edge of each pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack and turning each cake out. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
Cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Carefully stir in the chopped chocolate. Chill frosting until needed.
Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully cut the tops off with a serrated knife so that each layer is level. Place one layer, top side down, on a cake board and spread with frosting. Repeat this step with the next two layers.'
Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill until you serve. Enjoy!
6 tbsp (1.25 oz bag) freeze dried strawberries, finely ground and sifted
680 grams (6 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped and sifted
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 350º F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed.
With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk.
Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Coat three 7-inch cake pans with cooking spray or butter and cocoa powder and line the bottom of each with parchment. Evenly divide the batter into the pans.
Bake for 35-38 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edge of each pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack and turning each cake out. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
Strawberry Chip Buttercream
Cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy.
Carefully stir in the chopped chocolate.
Chill frosting until needed.
Cake Assembly
Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully cut the tops off with a serrated knife so that each layer is level.
Place one layer, top side down, on a cake board and spread with frosting. Repeat this step with the next two layers.
Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill until you serve.
Enjoy!
Notes
The cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for up to five days. Its best enjoyed slightly warmed.
I decided to make a three layer 7 inch cake, but this recipe can also be used to make a two layer 8 inch cake as well, depending on what size pans you have. You’ll need to adjust the baking time slightly.
I chose to carefully sift the pieces of chocolate once I chopped them so I would only be incorporating the bigger pieces into the buttercream. This extra step is up to you, I just wanted the chocolate to have a cleaner, less speckled look.
