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This Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake is a moist chocolate cake layered with fresh chopped strawberries, strawberry buttercream and chocolate ganache! It’s covered in a chocolate drip and chocolate covered strawberries for a stunning and delicious cake!
This post is sponsored by Challenge Butter, but all opinions are my own.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake
This is one of those cakes that just brings out the “ooohs” and “ahhhhs” – both for the look and the taste. It’s such a fun cake to put together and serve, and it’s perfect for a special occasion or holiday like Valentine’s Day.
When I think of Valentine’s Day, chocolate covered strawberries seem to be kind of iconic. They can be romantic, but also are simple enough to share with friends. When turned into a cake, it takes new form and combines two of the best flavors – chocolate and strawberry!
This cake starts with tender, moist chocolate cake layers. The cake layers are filled with three layers chopped strawberries and strawberry buttercream and two layers of chocolate ganache. All the elements of chocolate covered strawberries in every bite!
To finish it off, it’s covered in more strawberry buttercream and a chocolate drip! The buttercream swirls on top with the chocolate covered strawberries make it just perfect!
How to make a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake
This cake is made up 5 elements:
- Chocolate Cake
- Strawberry Buttercream
- Fresh Chopped Strawberries
- Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate Cake
The first thing you’ll make for this cake are the chocolate cake layers. You’ll begin by creaming the butter and sugar together. Be sure to do two things in this step. First – cream the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes, until you see the color of the mixture lighten and the texture become fluffy. Second – use a great quality butter to ensure a great cake. As you may know already, I love Challenge Butter! It’s such a creamy butter and it goes from farm to fridge in just two days, so you know it’s fresh. It has no added hormones, artificial flavors or fillers, which I’m a big fan of. You know you’re getting a high quality butter when you buy Challenge and it shows in it’s noticeably creamy texture.
Next, you’ll add your eggs one a time and mix everything together until mostly combined before adding the next egg. This ensures things are incorporated evenly.
Then you’ll combine the vanilla extract, warm water and cocoa together. Combining the cocoa with the warm water both helps the cocoa dissolve and brings out the chocolate flavor. Add the chocolate mixture to the butter mixture and mix together until well combined.
Finally, alternate adding the dry ingredients to the batter with adding the milk. You’ll add the dry ingredients in two parts and the milk in one part. Be sure not to over mix the batter, as that can leave to a tough cake.
Bake the cake and then make the fillings.
Strawberry Buttercream
To make the strawberry buttercream, you’ll start with a great, high quality butter. Again, I’m using Challenge Butter. I combine the butter with a little shortening to help stabilize the buttercream, particularly when it’s at room temperature, but feel free to use all butter.
Next, you’ll add about half of the powdered sugar. This buttercream uses a fair amount of powdered sugar, but it’s in line with a standard decorator’s type buttercream. It adds volume to the frosting and helps make it the right consistency for frosting a cake and piping with it.
Heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract are added next. The vanilla adds a little flavor, while the cream helps to get the right consistency of frosting and add creaminess to it.
To add strawberry flavor, I used freeze dried strawberries. It’s a simple way to add great flavor, but if you’d like to use fresh strawberries, check out my recipe for Strawberry Buttercream Frosting. It shows you both ways – freeze dried strawberries and fresh ones.
Finally, add the remainder of the powdered sugar and any additional cream needed to get the right consistency of frosting.
Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate ganache is super simple to make! A mix of chocolate and some hot cream that you whisk together until melted and you’re done! If you feel you need more guidance on it, check out my full post on chocolate ganache – with recipe and tips.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
And finally, there’s the star of the show. While you can always buy chocolate covered strawberries, making them is so much less expensive and very easy to do. Check out my recipe and guide to Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
The fresh chopped strawberries are straight forward, of course. And once you have everything ready, layer it all together, frost the cake, decorate it and your done! Simple, right? Of course I have tutorials for all those lovely steps that I’ve linked to within the recipe if you need any help with technique. From leveling your cakes, to frosting it, to adding the chocolate drip, I’ve got you covered.
The finished cake is so darn good! The chocolate cake is tender and moist, the strawberry frosting with pops of fresh strawberry add lots of flavor, and the chocolate ganache adds that little touch that makes it just like eating a chocolate covered strawberry. A delightful cake! I hope you enjoy it!
More Great Strawberry Desserts:
Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Fudgy Strawberry Brownies
Homemade Strawberry Cake
Strawberry Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches
Strawberry Cheesecake Chocolate Cookie Cups
Strawberry Brownie Cheesecake
Watch How To Make It
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Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12-14 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake is a moist chocolate cake layered with fresh chopped strawberries, strawberry buttercream and chocolate ganache! It’s covered in a chocolate drip and chocolate covered strawberries for a stunning and delicious cake!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Layers
- 2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted Challenge butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (180ml) warm water
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
Chocolate Ganache
- 9 oz (1 1/2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 2 1/2 cups (about 2 oz | 57g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 3/4 cups (392g) unsalted Challenge butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (142g) shortening
- 10 cups (1150g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Salt, to taste
- 2–4 tbsp (30-60ml) additional water or heavy whipping cream
Additional
- 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
- 8 chocolate-covered strawberries
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line the bottom of three 8-inch (20cm) cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add the butter and sugar to a large mixer bowl and beat together until fully creamed and light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating until mostly combined after each addition.
5. Add vanilla extract, water and cocoa powder to another small bowl and stir together until smooth.
6. Add the chocolate mixture to batter and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
7. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
8. Slowly add the milk and mix until well combined.
9. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined and smooth, but do not over mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
10. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
11. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
12. While the cake layers cool, make the chocolate ganache. Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl.
13. Heat the cream just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool to about room temperature.
14. To make the strawberry buttercream frosting, add the freeze dried strawberries to a food processor and grind into a fine powder. Set aside.
15. Add the butter and shortening to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.
16. Add about half of the powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth.
17. Add the freeze dried strawberry powder and mix until well combined.
18. Slowly add the half cup of heavy cream and the vanilla extract and mix until well combined and smooth.
19. Slowly add the remainder of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
20. Add salt to taste and some additional water or heavy cream, if needed to get the right frosting consistency. Set aside.
21. To put the cake together, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes so that they’re flat. Next, cut each cake horizontally to make 6 layers of cake total. See my tutorial for how to level and torte a cake.
22. To build the cake, place the first layer of cake on a cardboard cake circle or a serving platter. (For more help with building the cake, see my tutorial for how to fill and stack a layer cake)
23. Spread about half a cup of strawberry frosting evenly onto the cake layer, then add 1/2 cup of the diced strawberries. Press the strawberries down into the frosting and spread a very thin amount of strawberry frosting over the strawberries so that the next cake layer has something to stick to.
24. Add the next layer of cake.
25. Pipe a small dam of frosting around the out edge of the cake layer, then fill it in with about 5- 6 tablespoons of the chocolate ganache. Spread into an even layer, then add the next layer of cake.
26. Repeat layers 23-25 for another layer of strawberry frosting and fresh strawberries, chocolate cake, chocolate ganache and then another layer of chocolate cake. Add a third layer of strawberry frosting and fresh strawberries and then top off the cake with the last layer of chocolate cake. You should have three layers of strawberry frosting/fresh strawberries and two layers of chocolate ganache.
27. At this point, you can refrigerate the cake for a bit to firm up, if you like. When you’re ready, use your strawberry frosting to fully frost the outside of the cake.
28. Use the remainder of the chocolate ganache to add the chocolate drip to the cake. See my tutorial for how to make a chocolate drip cake. It will have cooled off by now, so you’ll want to carefully heat it back up in the microwave.
29. Use the remainder of the strawberry frosting to add swirls to the top of the cake. I used Ateco tip 847.
30. Finish off the cake with some chocolate covered strawberries.
31. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. The cake is best when stored well covered for 2-3 days. The chocolate covered strawberries on top of the cake will be best eaten within 24-48 hours, so you might want to add those shortly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 1106
- Sugar: 126.2 g
- Sodium: 377.5 mg
- Fat: 58.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 146.6 g
- Protein: 7.3 g
- Cholesterol: 162 mg
I’ve tried several of your recipes and love them 💕. I love the frosting on this one and the cake as a whole is amazing but the texture was crumbly! I measured all ingredients by weight so not sure what happened! Thanks for sharing your recipes !
I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes! As far as crumbly, can you describe a little bit more of what you mean? Like we’re there a lot of crumbs when you sliced the cake? Or they were a lot of crumbs when trying to build the cake? Or did it just fall apart when you were trying to move it around when building the cake? I’m not entirely sure what specific issue you had. That said, this is a super moist and tender cake, so you do have to be careful when moving it around and building the cake so that it doesn’t fall apart. I don’t usually have issues with it, but I do know that it’s very tender and if you’re used to working with more dense cakes, it could throw you off. One option is to refrigerate the cake layers before working with them so they are a little more firm.
Hi, what size pans did you use for this recipe? Thank you!!
8 inch cake pans
Hi Lindsay- I noticed you put 1 3/4 cups (336g) butter for the frosting but according to my calculations it would actually be 397 grams. Can you help me know which measurement is correct? I prefer using weight over cups. Thanks
You are right that the grams were off a bit. I calculate it at 392g though, and have updated it.
I found the weights to be a little off. Especially for the butter. It states 1 cup of butter, but my weight is is nearly half of what is stated in the recipe. I’m using the same as listed in the recipe… I ended up using just “1 cup” and the cakes turned out alright, they just ended up crumbling apart.
That’s a standard weight for 1 cup of butter so it’s not off. I’d recommend following the weights listed for the best results. It’s possible something wasn’t measured accurately.
Hi there, lovely recipe but In the uk what can we use instead of shortening?
Just use additional butter.
Hi I can’t find dry freeze strawberries. Is there a substitute for this?
You could try using fresh strawberry reduction, like in my strawberry frosting recipe.
I only made 4 layers. Strawberry frosting using the freeze dried strawberries was absolutely delicious! (I will probably try to go a bit lighter next time because it is very sweet). Will definitely make again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Do all the refrigerated ingredients need to be brought to room temperature?
You certainly can. I don’t always take the time though.
I have made this cake a few times. It’s a big hit. I have a question. Do you have a peach flavored recipe? As for the frosting. I have come across freeze dried peaches. Just like the strawberry ones. Would that help to make peach frosting?
I have several peach flavored recipes, including a peach cake. Just do a quick search for peach. But yes, you could use freeze dried peaches to make a similar peach frosting.
I plan to make this for my daughter’s birthday. We live in Utah, I normally have to edit recipes for high altitude. Do you think I will have to change this cake for high altitude?
Unfortunately I don’t really know much about adjustments for high altitude. I would guess you probably will need to make adjustments.
Would this cake be shelf stable for a couple of hours in the heat?
I’m not sure I would put it in high heat like the direct sun for a couple of hours.
5 stars for deliciousness but this cake is hard!!! I consider myself a decent baker and just learning how to decorate, but I found this pretty challenging. It’s delicious and I’ll keep working on my skills so mine can look like yours. LOVE this cake!
It’s definitely a lot of steps, but I’m glad you enjoyed it!
My daughter wants me to make this for her upcoming 6th birthday! It looks fantastic but we don’t need a cake this big for our little family celebration! Can it be made smaller? If so how best to go about doing that?
I have a guide to adjusting cheesecake sizes that you can check out and see which size will work best for you. I hope that helps!
I love all of your cake recipes but my cake tends to come out consistently dry no matter what I do. I follow recipes exactly. The only recipe I have luck with is your chocolate cake that is baked at a low temp with the oil in it. Should I lower the temp on my oven to try and get a more moist cake?
Are you using a food scale or cups to measure ingredients?