Ingredients
Method
Strawberry Jam
- Cook until thickened: In a small pot, stir together strawberries, granulated sugar, and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Be careful as the foam can bubble up as it boils. Continue cooking until the boiling subsides and the mixture thickens into a jammy consistency. The jam should part when you drag a spatula through it and then slowly come back together after a few seconds.
- Cool: Transfer the jam to a small bowl and let it cool completely in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
Chocolate Cake
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 6" round cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
- Dry mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Wet mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs and whisk together until smooth.
- Combine into batter: Alternate adding half of the flour mixture and then half of the milk, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- Fill pans: Divide the batter evenly into your prepared cake pans (about 540g of batter in each pan). Use a spatula to smooth the surface of the batter or give the pans a quick spin on the counter.
- Bake: Bake cakes for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with some crumbs attached.
- Cool: Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before running an offset spatula around the edges of the cakes to release them from the pan. Turn them out onto a wire rack and let them cool completely before assembling the cake.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream butter and cream cheese: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat softened butter until it becomes very creamy. Add the cream cheese and continue beating until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy.
- Beat frosting: Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined. Add the strawberry jam and vanilla extract and beat again until combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl once. Transfer a small portion of the frosting to a piping bag and cut the tip off.
Assemble the cake
- Prep cake layers: Use a serrated knife to level the cake layers (if there's any doming) and cut them in half to make four cake layers.
- Frosting ring: On a cake turntable, lay down the first cake layer. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the cake.
- Fillings: Add about 4 tablespoons of strawberry jam in the middle of the frosting ring and smooth into an even layer with an offset spatula. Add diced strawberries on top of the jam and arrange into an even layer.
- Repeat: Top with the next cake layer and repeat with the rest of the filling and cake layers.
- Crumb coat: Apply a thin layer of frosting to the cake as a crumb coat and scrape away the excess with a cake scraper.
- Frost and decorate: Apply a final coat of frosting and smooth with a scraper. Use your spatula to add some swirls in the frosting. Press halved strawberries on top of the frosting to decorate the cake.
Nutrition
Notes
Strawberry Jam Shortcut: If you're short on time, I've used a good quality store-bought strawberry jam with great results.
Just make sure it's not too runny, or your frosting might get a bit loose.
Make Ahead Magic: This cake actually tastes better the next day.
I often bake the cakes and make the frosting a day ahead, then assemble it the morning I plan to serve it.
The flavors meld together beautifully overnight.
Chilling is Your Friend: After you frost the cake, pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
This sets the cream cheese frosting and makes those clean, sharp slices so much easier to achieve.
Room Temperature Ingredients: I learned this the hard way.
For the frosting, make sure your butter and cream cheese are truly at room temperature.
Cold cream cheese will leave you with lumpy frosting no matter how long you beat it.
Avoid Overmixing the Batter: When you're adding the flour and milk, stop mixing as soon as they're combined.
I've made this cake dozens of times, and overmixing leads to a dense, tough crumb instead of that tender, moist texture.
Serving Suggestion: I love serving this cake with a few fresh, sliced strawberries on the side and a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.
It adds a wonderful freshness that balances the rich chocolate.
Storage Tip: Keep any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
I find it's best to let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off the frosting.
