If you’re a chocolate and strawberry lover like me, then you’re going to love this chocolate strawberry cake. I layered 3 tiers of dark chocolate cake with fruity strawberry preserves and coated the whole thing in a rich chocolate buttercream frosting. This is my ideal easy Valentine’s Day cake recipe!
I made this cake super easy with chocolate cake mix and jarred strawberry preserves. The homemade chocolate frosting really sets the whole thing apart and makes it taste homemade. It’ll be our little secret!
What’s in This Chocolate Strawberry Cake Recipe?
- Dark Chocolate Cake Mix: Makes this recipe super easy because I don’t have to spend time measuring out all the dry ingredients.
- Vegetable Oil: Helps keep the cake moist and fudgy.
- Eggs: Bind the cake together and keep it moist.
- Butter: Unsalted butter forms the creamy base of the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps give it structure.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder adds rich chocolate flavor to the frosting.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the frosting.
- Salt: Kosher salt enhances the chocolate flavor of the frosting.
- Heavy Cream: Helps thin the frosting to a pipeable consistency.
- Strawberry Preserves: Add a pop of fresh and fruity flavor to the cake. I used store-bought, but homemade also works.
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How to Store
Store leftover chocolate strawberry cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy cold or at room temperature. I do not recommend freezing this cake.
Tips for Success
- The strawberry filling can be cooked up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- While you can frost this cake at room temperature, the frosting will work best if the cake has been chilled beforehand.
- As the photos show, adding cut strawberry halves on top as decoration is a fun choice. If you’re making this cake for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary you can also shape the strawberry halves into a heart shape. I’d love to hear how you decorated it once you’re done.
Chocolate Strawberry Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 39.75 ounces dark chocolate cake mix (3 (13.25-ounce) boxes)
- 3 cups water
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 9 large eggs
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature (4 sticks)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup heavy cream
For Assembly
- 1¼ cups strawberry preserves store-bought or homemade
- Fresh strawberries optional, for garnish
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 3 9-inch Round Cake Pan
- Hand Mixer
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Mix the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs until well combined.39.75 ounces dark chocolate cake mix, 3 cups water, 1½ cups vegetable oil, 9 large eggs
- Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cake pans (about 852 grams per pan).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes.
For the Chocolate Frosting
- Using a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth.2 cups unsalted butter
- Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Mix until well incorporated.4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add in the vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream and mix again until the frosting reaches a smooth and creamy consistency with stiff peaks.2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup heavy cream
For Assembly
- Using a bread knife, shave off the rounded top of each cake to create a flat top.
- Transfer 1 cake layer to a cake stand and spread a thin layer of frosting over the top.
- Pipe a ridge of frosting around the cake about ½-inch from the edge to prevent the filling from seeping out.
- Spoon the strawberry filling on top, within the frosting border.1¼ cups strawberry preserves
- Repeat this process (frosting the cake, piping the ridge, spooning the filling) with the 2nd layer. Place the 3rd layer of cake on top. Then, frost the entire exterior of the cake. Top with fresh strawberries, if desired.Fresh strawberries
Notes
How to Make Chocolate Strawberry Cake Step-by-Step
Mix the Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside. Mix the 39.75 ounces (3 boxes) of dark chocolate cake mix, 3 cups of water, 1½ cups of oil, and 9 large eggs until well combined.
Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cake pans (about 852 grams per pan). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes.
Beat the Frosting: Using a hand mixer, cream 2 cups of unsalted butter until smooth. Sift in 4 cups of powdered sugar and 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. Mix until well incorporated. Add in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract,½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ cup of heavy cream and mix again until the frosting reaches a smooth and creamy consistency with stiff peaks.
Assemble the Cake: Using a bread knife, shave off the rounded top of each cake to create a flat top. Transfer 1 cake layer to a cake stand and spread a thin layer of frosting over the top. Pipe a ridge of frosting around the cake about ½-inch from the edge to prevent the filling from seeping out. Spoon half of the 1¼ cups of strawberry filling on top, within the frosting border. Repeat this process (frosting the cake, piping the ridge, spooning the filling) with the 2nd layer. Place the 3rd layer of cake on top. Then, frost the entire exterior of the cake. Top with fresh strawberries, if desired.
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