🍓🍫 Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Rich, moist chocolate cake layered with luscious strawberry buttercream and finished with fresh strawberries for a beautiful bakery-style dessert.
This Chocolate Strawberry Cake combines deep chocolate flavor with bright, fruity strawberry frosting. The boiling water creates an especially moist, tender crumb, while fresh strawberry puree gives the frosting a naturally sweet berry flavor.
Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, dinner parties, or whenever you’re craving an impressive homemade cake.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: About 2 hours
Yield: 10–12 servings
Difficulty: Easy–Intermediate
Method: Oven-Baked
Pan: Two 9-inch round cake pans
🛒 Ingredients
🍫 For the Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
🍓 For the Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup (120g) fresh strawberry puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt, optional
🍓 For Garnishing
- Fresh strawberries, washed and dried
- Optional: chocolate shavings
- Optional: powdered sugar
- Optional: melted chocolate for drizzling
👩🍳 Instructions
🍫 Make the Chocolate Cake
1. Prepare the Oven and Pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then lightly grease the parchment as well.
This makes the finished cakes much easier to remove.
2. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Granulated sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
Whisk thoroughly to distribute the leavening agents and cocoa evenly.
3. Add the Wet Ingredients
Add the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Using a hand mixer or whisk, mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
The batter will be fairly thick at this stage.
4. Add the Boiling Water
Slowly pour in the boiling water while mixing on low speed.
The batter will become very thin and liquid-like.
This is completely normal.
The hot water helps bloom the cocoa and produces an exceptionally moist chocolate crumb.
Do not add additional flour.
5. Divide the Batter
Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans.
If you have a kitchen scale, weighing the batter between the pans helps create evenly sized layers.
6. Bake
Place the pans in the center of the preheated oven.
Bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, or until:
- The centers spring back lightly when touched
- A toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs
- The edges begin to pull slightly away from the pans
Avoid overbaking, as this can dry out the cake.
7. Cool the Cakes
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10–15 minutes.
Run a thin knife around the edges.
Carefully turn the cakes onto wire racks, remove the parchment paper, and allow them to cool completely.
The cakes must be completely cool before frosting.
🍓 Make the Strawberry Buttercream
8. Prepare the Strawberry Puree
Wash and hull fresh strawberries.
Blend enough strawberries to produce ½ cup of smooth puree.
For an extra-smooth frosting, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds.
9. Whip the Butter
Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl.
Beat on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, until pale, light, and fluffy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
10. Add the Powdered Sugar
Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time.
Mix on low speed initially to prevent the sugar from flying out of the bowl.
Once incorporated, increase the speed and beat until creamy.
11. Add the Strawberry Puree
Add the strawberry puree and vanilla extract.
Beat for another 2–3 minutes, until the frosting is fluffy and evenly colored.
Add a pinch of salt if the frosting tastes overly sweet.
If the buttercream seems too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
If it seems too thick, add 1 teaspoon of strawberry puree or milk at a time until you reach a smooth spreading consistency.
🎂 Assemble the Cake
12. Level the Cake Layers
Once completely cool, inspect both cake layers.
If necessary, use a serrated knife to carefully trim off any domed tops.
This creates flat layers and makes the finished cake easier to stack.
13. Add the First Layer
Place one chocolate cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand.
Spread approximately 1 cup of strawberry buttercream evenly over the top.
Push the frosting almost to the edges without allowing it to spill over.
14. Add the Second Layer
Place the second chocolate cake layer on top.
Press down very gently to secure it.
15. Frost the Cake
Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake.
This first layer acts as a crumb coat.
Refrigerate the cake for 15–20 minutes to allow the crumb coat to firm up.
Then spread the remaining buttercream over the cake.
Smooth the sides with a cake scraper or spatula, or create decorative swirls for a rustic finish.
🍓 Decorate
16. Add Fresh Strawberries
Wash and thoroughly dry the strawberries.
Slice some strawberries in half and leave a few whole.
Arrange them attractively around the top of the cake.
For an extra chocolate-strawberry finish, add chocolate shavings or drizzle melted chocolate over the berries.
17. Chill and Serve
Refrigerate the finished cake for 20–30 minutes before slicing.
Allow it to sit at room temperature for approximately 15–20 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens slightly.
Use a sharp knife for clean slices.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Don’t skip the boiling water: It helps bloom the cocoa and gives the cake its exceptionally moist texture.
The batter will be thin: Don’t panic or add extra flour. The liquid batter is intentional.
Use room-temperature eggs: They incorporate more evenly into the batter.
Cool completely before frosting: Even slightly warm cake can melt the buttercream.
Strain the strawberry puree: This creates smoother, more professional-looking frosting.
Dry the strawberries well: Excess water can make the decoration slippery and can soften the frosting.
Don’t overbake: Pull the cakes from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
For perfectly even layers: Weigh the batter before dividing it between the cake pans.
🍫🍓 Delicious Variations
Chocolate Ganache Drip
Prepare a simple ganache with chocolate and heavy cream.
Cool until slightly thickened, then drip it around the edges of the chilled cake before adding the strawberries.
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Style
Add a thin layer of sliced fresh strawberries between the cake layers along with the strawberry buttercream.
White Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Add melted and cooled white chocolate to the buttercream for a richer, sweeter frosting.
Dark Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Replace the regular cocoa powder with Dutch-process or dark cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor, adjusting the leavening if needed.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cake
Dip several whole strawberries in melted chocolate.
Allow the chocolate to set, then arrange the berries on top of the finished cake.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve slices with:
- Fresh strawberries
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Strawberry sauce
- A cup of coffee
- Hot chocolate
- Freshly brewed tea
For a celebration, add chocolate curls and chocolate-covered strawberries to the top for an elegant finish.
🧊 Storage
Because the frosting contains fresh strawberry puree, store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator.
It will keep well for approximately 3–4 days.
For the best texture, let individual slices sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving.
❄️ Freezing
The unfrosted chocolate cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Wrap each completely cooled layer tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling.
The strawberry buttercream can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Bring it to room temperature and re-whip until fluffy before using.
🍓🍫 Final Result
This Chocolate Strawberry Cake brings together everything that makes a celebration cake special: deep, moist chocolate cake, silky fresh-strawberry buttercream, and juicy strawberries in every beautiful bite.
The rich chocolate and bright strawberry flavors complement each other perfectly, while the simple decoration gives the cake an elegant homemade bakery look.
Rich chocolate + fresh strawberries + creamy strawberry frosting = an irresistible celebration cake. 🍓🍫🎂✨