Chocolate and strawberries! What could be better? There is just something about the two together that really can satisfy the human taste buds! The next time you are looking to try a new cake recipe, give this Chocolate Strawberry Layer Cake a try. Make it even better by dipping the strawberries about half-way up the side in melted chocolate and adding a whole dipped strawberry in the center. If that is too much of a chocolate look for you, dip the berries in white chocolate. Beautiful and yummy!
CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled, halved
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans; set aside.
Beat eggs and sugar in a small mixing bowl until thick and light colored. In a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract to the flour mixture; mix until blended. Fold in the eggs and sugar mixture. Pour batter evenly into the two prepared pans. Bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Remove the cakes to the wire racks and cool completely. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread the top of that layer with the strawberry preserves; cover preserves with the second layer. Prepare frosting and frost top of cake. Garnish with the strawberries by placing berries in a circle, cut side down, around the top edge of the cake.
FROSTING:
1 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat the whipping cream with the cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake; cover loosely and refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with the strawberries, as directed above, just before serving.
Enjoy!