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Strawberry Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Fresh Strawberry Garnish Recipe

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3.9 from 7 reviews

This Strawberry Chocolate Cake features rich, moist chocolate layers paired with fresh strawberry jam and a creamy strawberry-flavored cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations, this cake combines homemade strawberry jam, a tender cocoa cake, and a luscious frosting topped with fresh strawberry halves for an elegant finish.

Ingredients

Strawberry Jam

  • 500 g strawberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

Chocolate Cake

  • 190 g all-purpose flour
  • 75 g natural cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 115 g unsalted butter (melted)
  • 100 g light-tasting oil
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 100 g brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 330 g milk (room temperature)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 250 g cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
  • 115 g unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
  • 100 g powdered sugar
  • 70 g strawberry jam (prepared above)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 200 g strawberries (finely diced)
  • 7 strawberries (halved for decoration)

Instructions

  1. Strawberry Jam: In a small pot, combine strawberries, granulated sugar, and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture boils. Watch carefully because foam can bubble up. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens to a jammy consistency that parts when dragged with a spatula and slowly comes back together.
  2. Cool Jam: Transfer the jam to a small bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled to use later in the frosting and cake assembly.
  3. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds on the bottom and set aside.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
  5. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until integrated. Add eggs and whisk until smooth.
  6. Combine Batter: Alternate adding half of the dry mixture then half of the milk to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined after each addition to avoid overmixing.
  7. Fill Cake Pans: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (approximately 540g each). Smooth the tops with a spatula or spin the pans gently to level the batter.
  8. Bake: Place the pans in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with some moist crumbs.
  9. Cool Cakes: Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a spatula around edges and transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
  10. Prepare Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter until creamy. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth and light.
  11. Add Sugar and Flavor: Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed. Mix in strawberry jam and vanilla extract, stopping to scrape the bowl to ensure even mixing. Reserve a small portion of frosting in a piping bag for decorating.
  12. Level and Slice Cakes: Use a serrated knife to level any domed tops. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally to create four even layers.
  13. Assemble Layers: Place one cake layer on a turntable or plate. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge to form a barrier.
  14. Fill with Jam and Strawberries: Spoon about 4 tablespoons of strawberry jam into the center inside the ring. Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Top with diced strawberries to create an even filling.
  15. Repeat Layers: Add the next cake layer on top and repeat the filling process with jam and diced strawberries until all layers are stacked.
  16. Crumb Coat: Apply a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Smooth with a cake scraper and refrigerate briefly to set.
  17. Final Frosting and Decoration: Apply the final thick frosting layer, smoothing the surface with a spatula or scraper to create swirls. Decorate the top with halved strawberries by gently pressing them into the frosting.

Notes

  • Use room temperature eggs and milk to ensure the batter mixes evenly and results in a tender crumb.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter as this can make the cake dense.
  • Line cake pans with parchment paper and grease well for easy cake removal.
  • Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the cream cheese frosting.
  • The homemade strawberry jam can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • For extra moist cake, do not overbake; check for doneness at 40 minutes.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/strawberry-chocolate-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-and-fresh-strawberry-garnish-recipe/