Strawberries and Cream Chocolate Cake

One of my closest closest closest friends turned 20 a couple weeks ago! I only met her a couple months ago at the beginning of my second year in university but I feel like we’ve been best friends for years. Usually I have my reservations with getting too close to people too fast, but our personalities are just so similar that we clicked instantly when we met. Actually, maybe not instantly, because her first impression of me wasn’t that great ahaha.

On the first day of class, everyone got assigned into groups, but I got lost along with a couple other students and never found my group. So my friend, who was in the group that I also got assigned to, got the first impression that I am a lazy student and the type that never contributes to group work. The second day of class, when I finally met up with my group, I felt SO MUCH hostility in the air. I tried to break it by apologizing and talking to everyone, but that didn’t work. Apparently I talked too much and was kinda annoying! Ok, thinking back on it now, I guess I should feel lucky that I ever got to become friends with her at all, ahah!

For her birthday, she requested a cake with chocolate, strawberries (her favourite fruit) and whipped cream. So of course, being the awesome friend that I am, I gave her all three! I made her a chocolate cake filled with fresh sliced strawberries and a whipped cream icing. Then I covered the entire cake in a dark chocolate frosting. THEN, I made a dark chocolate collar and wrapped it around the cake. AND THEN, I topped the cake with more fresh strawberries. 

I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty darn proud of this cake. I can confidently say that this is the first cake that I have ever made that tasted phenomenal! Usually I make a mistake or two which messes up taste/texture or both. 

Everyone at the party raved about the cake and it made me SO SO happy. The main two things that make me bouce-off-the-walls-happy are runner’s high and when people truly enjoy eating the desserts that I make. I had one of those moments that day. Thanks Winkster for letting me make your cake 🙂

Strawberries and Cream Chocolate Cake

Components

2x recipe for chocolate cake
Fresh strawberries, sliced and 14 unsliced
Whipped cream filling
Dark chocolate frosting

Chocolate Cake

1. Divide batter into 4 10in round baking pans. Bake at 350F, let cool completely before handing. Although I baked four cake layers, I only used three.

Whipped Cream Filling

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
62.5g of cream cheese
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract 

1. Whip the heavy cream until it can hold a soft peak.

2. In another bowl, beat cream cheese until light. Beat in sugar and vanilla extract til incorporated. 

3. FOLD the whipped cream into the cream cheese. Chill until needed.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup +2tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup +2tbsp boiling water
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temp
pinch of salt
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 lb (2cups) dark chocolate, melted and cooled

1. Combine cocoa and boiling water together until cocoa has dissolved.

2. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in icing sugar and salt. 

3. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beat until combined.

4. Beat in cocoa and water mixture. Scrap down sides of the bowl and beat again. 

Cake Assembly

1. Take one of the three cakes and place it top side up onto a cake board. Spread some whipped cream filling over the top. Layer strawberries on the filling evenly. Top the strawberries with more whipped cream filling.

2. Take a second cake layer and place it top side down onto what you have assembled so far. Fill and layer with cream and strawberries like in step 1.

3. Place final cake layer top side down onto what you have assembled so far.

4. Crumb coat the entire cake with chocolate frosting. Place cake into fridge for about 30 mins to let the crumb coat set.

5. Frost cake with the remaining chocolate frosting. Try to get the sides as even as you can with a metal spatula or cake comb. Place the 14 unsliced strawberries on top of the cake.

Sources

Dark Chocolate Frosting from Martha Stewart Cupcakes
Whipped Cream Filling from Bake with Anna Olson