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Chocolate Cake With Strawberry Filling

chocolate strawberry cake

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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.

Ingredients

Scale

For the chocolate cake layers

  • 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup hot water or strong coffee
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda

For the cream cheese frosting and strawberry filling

  • 2 (8 oz.) cream cheese cheese, softened
  • 2/3  – 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 1.2 oz. freeze dried strawberries
  • 1 – 1 1/4 cup diced strawberries

Instructions

Making the cake layers

  1. Pre heat oven to 350 F. Line three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
  3. In a mixer bowl beat eggs, sugar and vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined.
  5. 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.  
  6. 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

  1. Beat cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form and set aside.(Heavy whipping cream will be divided between the filling and frosting.)
  2. In a food processor process the freeze dried strawberries until fine powder. Set aside. 
  3. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder until light and fluffy. 
  4. Add about about 2 cups of the heavy whipping cream and fold until combined. Set this frosting aside. 

Making the strawberry filling

  1. To a medium bowl, add diced strawberries, the rest of heavy whipping cream (~1 cup). Take about 1/4 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:

  1. Place first layer on cake stand. Frost with strawberry cream cheese frosting.
  2. Add the second layer on top and top with the fresh strawberry filling.
  3. 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.