This chocolate cake with strawberry filling is moist, rich, and packed with chocolate and strawberry flavor. The rich chocolate cake layers are filled with creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting and a fresh strawberry filling for the perfect balance of decadent chocolate and sweet strawberry filling.
Jump to:
- Why you’ll love this chocolate cake with strawberry filling
- Ingredients needed for the chocolate cake with strawberry filling
- How to make the chocolate cake layers
- How to make the strawberry cream cheese frosting
- Make the strawberry cake filling
- How to assemble the chocolate strawberry cake
- How to make the rich chocolate ganache
- Frequently asked questions
- Tips for success
- More recipes you may like
- Recipe
Why you’ll love this chocolate cake with strawberry filling
- Rich, moist chocolate cake layers: This easy to make chocolate cake is soft and has a deep chocolate flavor.
- Rich strawberry cream cheese frosting: Using freeze-dried strawberries gives the frosting a bright strawberry flavor.
- Layer of fresh strawberries: Part of the frosting will be mixed with fresh strawberries for an extra burst of strawberry flavor.
Ingredients needed for the chocolate cake with strawberry filling
For the cake
- Eggs: Too add structure and flavor.
- Sugar: To add some sweetness
- Oil: To keep the cake moist
- Sour cream: To add moister to the cake
- Cocoa powder: I use dutch process cocoa powder. This adds a rich chocolate flavor.
- Coffee: This will bring out the chocolate flavor. You will not taste the coffee. You can either use already made coffee, or dissolve instant coffee in hot water. You can also substitute with hot water.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda and baking powder: To ensure the cake rises
- Flour: To bring structure to the cake.
For the cream cheese strawberry frosting and strawberry filling
- Cream cheese: Any cream cheese will work. I prefer using full fat cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar: To add some sweetness
- Freeze-dried strawberries: To give the cream cheese frosting a delicious strawberry flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream: To make the frosting light and fluffy.
- Fresh strawberries: Chopped strawberries will be added to the cake.
How to make the chocolate cake layers
- In a small bowl whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined.
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until almost almost combined.
- Add the hot water or coffee and beat just until just incorporated. Don’t overmix.
- Pour the chocolate cake batter into three 8 inch cake pans, lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan. Then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
How to make the strawberry cream cheese frosting
- In a food processor process the freeze-dried strawberries until fine powder. Set aside.
- Beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form and set aside.
- Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberries until light and fluffy.
- Add about 2 cups of the heavy whipping cream and fold until combined.
Make the strawberry cake filling
- To a small bowl, add chopped strawberries, the rest of heavy cream (should have about 1 cup left) and ~¼ cup of the cream cheese frosting.
- Stir until combined.
How to assemble the chocolate strawberry cake
- Place first cake layer on cake stand. Frost with the strawberry cream cheese frosting.
- Place second cake layer on cake stand and add an even layer of the fresh strawberry filling.
- Place third cake layer on cake stand and frost the top of the cake and sides with remaining strawberry cream cheese frosting.
How to make the rich chocolate ganache
Add ⅔ cup chocolate chips to a bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan add ⅔ heavy whipping cream. Warm the heavy cream on low – medium heat until almost boiling. Then pour over the chocolate chips. Cover with a lid, or paper towel. Let it sit for about one minute. (This helps the chocolate chips soften) Stir until the chocolate ganache is smooth.
Slightly cool the chocolate ganache before pouring over the cake.
Frequently asked questions
Freeze-dried strawberries can be found at your local grocery store. They are usually located by the snacks aisle. Be sure to get freeze-dried strawberries and not dried strawberries. Dried strawberries are more chewy and don’t grind into fine powder. Freeze dried strawberries are crispy and grind into fine powder. Freeze dried strawberries are the perfect addition to frosting because it gives the frosting an intense strawberry flavor without making the frosting runny. I would not recommend substituting them for anything else.
Yes! If you don’t want to use coffee, you can add hot water instead. Coffee just brings out more of the chocolate flavor and moister, but adding water will still provide moister to the cake.
Yes. You can make the cake layers the day before and assemble the cake the next day.
You can cover the cake with plastic wrap, or cut into slices and store in an airtight container.
Tips for success
- Don’t over mix the batter. When adding the flour, you’ll want to mix until it’s almost incorporated, (you should still see flour bits in the batter) then add the water or coffee and mix until just combined.
- Cool cake layers completely. Waiting for the chocolate cake layers to cool completely ensures that the frosting won’t melt.
- Measure the flour correctly by spooning the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping the flour with the measuring cup. If too much flour is added, the cake can be more dry.
- Use room temperature cream cheese for the frosting. This helps it whip up smooth and lump free.
More recipes you may like
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Tart
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
- Strawberry cinnamon rolls with strawberry frosting
If you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Comment and rate below. Your comments will not only help me but other readers as well. I would also love to see your creation! Share your photo by tagging tasty_treat_pantry on Instagram. Happy Baking!
PrintRecipe
Chocolate Cake With Strawberry Filling
This chocolate cake with strawberry filling is the perfect summer bake. The rich chocolate cake layers are frosted with strawberry cream cheese frosting and filled with more fresh strawberries.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8–10 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake layers
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup hot water or strong coffee
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
For the cream cheese frosting and strawberry filling
- 2 (8 oz.) cream cheese cheese, softened
- ⅔ – 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ¾ cup heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1.2 oz. freeze dried strawberries
- 1 – 1 ¼ cup diced strawberries
Instructions
Making the cake layers
- Pre heat oven to 350 F. Line three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl beat eggs, sugar and vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined.
- Add the flour. Beat on low speed until almost combined. ( You should still see lumps and streaks of flour. ) Then add the hot water or coffee and mix until just incorporated.
- Pour cake batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan. Then transfer to cooling rack and cool completely.
Making the strawberry cream cheese frosting
- Beat cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form and set aside.(Heavy whipping cream will be divided between the filling and frosting.)
- In a food processor process the freeze dried strawberries until fine powder. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder until light and fluffy.
- Add about about 2 cups of the heavy whipping cream and fold until combined. Set this frosting aside.
Making the strawberry filling
- To a medium bowl, add diced strawberries, the rest of heavy whipping cream (~1 cup). Take about ¼ cup of the strawberry cream cheese frosting and add it to the bowl with the strawberries. Fold together the strawberry cream cheese frosting, remaining heavy whipping cream and fresh strawberries until combined.
Assembling the cake:
- Place first layer on cake stand. Frost with strawberry cream cheese frosting.
- Add the second layer on top and top with the fresh strawberry filling.
- Place third cake layer frost top and sides with remaining strawberry cream cheese frosting frosting.
Notes
- Don’t over mix the batter. When adding the flour, you’ll want to mix until it’s almost incorporated, (you should still see flour bits in the batter) then add the water or coffee and mix until just combined.
- Cool cake layers completely. Waiting for the cake layers to cool completely ensures that the frosting won’t melt.
- Measure the flour correctly by spooning the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping the flour with the measuring cup. If too much flour is added, the cake can be more dry.
- Use room temperature cream cheese for the frosting. This helps it whip up smooth and lump free.
MamaBear3 says
Made this cake for my kiddos. My youngest absolutely loves sweets and well there was no problem there but One of my kids is not very fond of cake or too much sweets and he absolutely loved this cake. He loved the strawberries, chocolate cake and frosting. He basically ate the whole cake himself. Definitely a winner recipe in my family. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
nataliyadudley says
Yay! So happy he loved it!
Thanks,
Nataliya
Dalma says
Hi I would like to know if I double up the ingredients do I use a bigger cake tin like 10 inches?
Thank you.