This Strawberries & Cream Chocolate Cake is exceptionally moist and chocolate-rich, layered with juicy, sugar-macerated strawberries, fresh whipped cream, and silky ganache. Hot coffee in the batter deepens the chocolate flavor, while the airy whipped cream and bright strawberries keep it balanced. Perfect for celebrations or a springtime treat.
Driving home from work today I found myself daydreaming about cake. Something I often do. Food obsessed much? Anyways I started dreaming of strawberries. I bought a large pack of strawberries from Costco the other day and the strawberries are so good!
When I grew up we always had strawberries. My mom would cut them up and sprinkle a little sugar on top and store them in the fridge. I often found myself searching for the strawberry with the most sugar granules on. I know, I know, strawberries are sweet on there on but you all must know by now I have a strange addiction to sugar!
Back to these strawberries from Costco- they are so sweet. I couldn't stop eating them. Literally. So I decided to make a cake as well. I was craving fresh whipped cream and chocolate-covered strawberries so I combined the ideas.
My strawberries and cream cheese pie is another favorite you have to try! Strawberry Cupcakes (from scratch), cheesecake stuffed strawberries, or my Strawberry Poke Cake!
Bake, Layer, Whip, Enjoy
Adding coffee to your chocolate cake not only helps keep it moist and fluffy but coffee actually enriches the chocolate flavor. And the best part- you do no taste the coffee flavor AT ALL! If you do want to taste coffee in your cake try my Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Cake.
Make the glorious toppings
Macerating strawberries just means that you are softening them, making them extra juicy and sweet. You are left with saucy strawberries.
Let's Assemble this Strawberries and Cream Chocolate Cake?
The key with any layer cake is to take a step back and make sure the cake is level- do this after each layer.
If you want precise chocolate drizzles then put the ganache in a squeezy bottle and drizzle down the sides.
The fresh cream is fabulous alongside the rich chocolate cake and juicy strawberries
This cake is perfect for a birthday party, holiday treat, or Sunday night dinner!
Another family favorite chocolate dessert is my Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe.
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
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Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberries & Whipped Cream
This Strawberries & Cream Chocolate Cake is exceptionally moist and chocolate-rich, layered with juicy, sugar-macerated strawberries, fresh whipped cream, and silky ganache. Hot coffee in the batter deepens the chocolate flavor, while the airy whipped cream and bright strawberries keep it balanced. Perfect for celebrations or a springtime treat.
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8-12 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 400 grams (2 cups) Granulated Sugar
- 250 grams (2 cups) 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 90 grams (¾ cup) Dutch-process Cocoa powder
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 3 Large Eggs, at room temp.
- 2 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 4oz (½ cup) Vegetable Oil
- 8oz (1 cup) Whole Milk or Buttermilk, at room temp.
- 8oz(1 cup) Hot Coffee (I put 1 tbsp of instant coffee and pour hot water on top, let sit for 1 minute)
Macerated Strawberries
- 16oz Strawberries, all sliced but 5 saved for the top decoration
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
Chocolate Ganache
- 8oz (⅔ cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 9oz Chocolate Finely Chopped/ Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Whipped Cream & Assembly
- 24oz (3 cups) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Dry Milk Powder
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease two 9 inch round pans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Mix to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer combine eggs, vanilla, oil, and milk mix until fully combined. Slowly add in dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated. Add in hot coffee, the mixture will be very thin. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely. I prefer to freeze the cake layers overnight I find it easier to decorate with chilled cake layers but you can proceed with the recipe once the cake layers are cooled. If freezing wrap in plastic wrap tightly, twice, and freeze overnight.
Macerated Strawberries
- When ready to decorate pull the cake layers out of the freezer. Then make strawberries. In a bowl sprinkle some sugar on top of the sliced berries, mix them all together and let them sit for 30-45 minutes.
Chocolate Ganache
- Heat heavy cream either in a saucepan or a microwave-safe bowl. Don't let the cream boil.
- In a medium-sized bowl pour in chocolate pieces and pour heavy cream on top of chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes then stir until completely combined and glossy.
Whipped Cream & Assembly
- In a bowl of an electric mixer whisk heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and dry milk powder until stiff peaks form. Set in the fridge while preparing the cake.
- Cut each cake layer in half, to create 4 layers. Place one piece on cake plate/serving dish then place a small spoonful of chocolate ganache on top and spread it evenly over the whole cake layer. Next place ⅓ of the whipped cream and strawberry slices. Making sure to keep the layers as flat as possible. Repeat until the final cake layer is on top. Place chocolate ganache on top of the final cake layer, let it drizzle down the sides of the cake. Store cake in the fridge, best eaten day of the assembly.
Notes
*Cake can be baked, wrapped in plastic wrap tightly and frozen for up to a month before serving. *If you are worried you have overbaked the cake make a simple syrup to brush on each layer. In a small pot simmer together 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water for 10 minutes. Use a pastry brush to brush the simple syrup on top of all layers.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Laura@bakinginpyjamas says
What a great looking cake. Strawberries and fresh cream are such a great combination. So summery and delicious.
Elizabeth says
Thank you Laura!
Jennifer says
Can you please tell me if this is okay to make the day before? Also how would I adjust to make a rectangular cake with this 9x13 I would presume....its for my daughters 3rd bday party tomorrow 🙂 Hoping it turns out for me 🙂
Jennifer says
Also, I just pulled my cakes from the oven but the middle is sunk in. Is this normal? OH my, I hope it is because this has to turn out. I don't have a plan B.
Elizabeth says
Hi Jennifer sorry I've just seen the comments been at work all day! I'm so sorry your cake sunk
In hopefully it hasn't sunk very much. My family loves this cake we honestly make this cake all the time. I truly hope it works out for you and your daughters birthday. Let me know if I can help at all. Elizabeth
Rachel says
*drooool*
my brother is obsessed with chocolate and strawberries....his birthday is tomorrow!
can i make this a day ahead and keep in the fridge????
can i make the toppings withan easier (one bowl) choch cake? im a real amateur...
Rachel says
made it!!
Terry wolfe says
The recipe fails to tell you which heavy cream goes with the chocolate ganache and which amount for the whip cream filling.
Hayley Andrews says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made this for my daughters second birthday party this past weekend, and it was absolutely fabulous. Everyone complained about the serves being too big at first, then silence, a lot yummy noises, and empty plates
I expected it to be delicious but it was even better than my expectations. Thanks again!
Elizabeth says
Thank you Hayley! I am so thrilled it was a hit 🙂
Julie Dick says
I love the cake but if I made it again I would make twice as much ganache. The cake layers soaked up most of it and there was just a dribble left.
Patti Paulos says
This recipe was hands down the most delicious cake I have ever tasted! A bit time consuming, but totally worth it. Made it for my 61st Birthday Party and there was not a single crumb left!
Beth says
WOW. This is my all time favorite recipe you've ever posted! Its so chocolatey and creamy and then the fresh strawberries... I DIE for this cake
Tricia S. says
The BEST chocolate cake ever!!! Super moist, soft, and just overall chocolatey. I made this last minute for a friend and it was super easy to make. Used Cadbury milk chocolate bars for the ganache (since she recommended to use fine chocolate) and it was just perfect. Cannot wait to make this again! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the detailed, lovely review, Tricia! I appreciate you coming back to rate the recipe so much. Thank you!! XX Liz
CJ says
How will the filling hold up if you don't have the milk powder?
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi CJ, the filling will be looser. The milk powder helps stabilize the whipped cream but it should be somewhat stabilized from the addition of powdered sugar. I would make sure to beat the whipped cream slower and make sure you get to stiff peaks. Let me know if you have any other questions or if you make the cake, I would love to hear how you like it! Thanks XX Liz
Bethany Andrews says
Thank-you for this recipe! This is the best chocolate cake I have ever made or tasted! I skipped the ganache (sinful, I know), for a slightly lighter cake, using whip cream on the top instead. So, so good. Seriously, the best chocolate cake ever. Thank-you!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for coming back to review the recipe Bethany! I truly appreciate it! The cake really is soo yummy and does not need the ganache, whipped cream + cake is one of my favorite things!! So happy you love it, thanks again!! XX Liz
Candy says
Best Chocolate cake, EVER!!!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review Candy!! I love this cake too!! XX Liz
Sarah says
Hi! I was wondering could I use self raising flour instead! Thanks x
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Sarah, thanks for reaching out. I myself have never made it with self-raising flour but I would definitely try it myself, just omitting the baking soda and powder. Sorry I don't have experience with self-raising flour and this recipe. Please do let me know if you try it. XX Liz
Kimberly says
Just made this cake for my husband's birthday and it turned out fabulous! Not too sweet which I love, but oh soooooo yummy! I improvised with raspberries instead of strawberries (the store I went to didn't have any (weird ?!?) and I did not feel like making ANOTHER stop just for strawberries), but it worked out perfectly. Also, I didn't have dry milk powder, which I assume is for stabilizing the whipped cream?? So I stabilized the whipped cream with with unflavored gelatin instead. Used a combination of dark chocolate and bittersweet chocolate for the ganache (lovely!). The chocolate cake itself is divine - I was worried about the batter being so thin (you did warn us!) but it baked up just fine. It was simultaneously light, fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth gorgeous while also being sturdy enough to be split in half and stacked. That's a good cake!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Kimberly, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and review the recipe, it really means so much to me, thank you!! Raspberries and cream sounds delicious and you are correct the dry milk powder was to stabilize it but you improvised perfectly! I love this cake so much because it's sweet, chocolatey, but still not overly sweet just fresh and delicious.So glad your hubby had a good birthday cake!! Take care. XX Liz
Fiona Baker says
How long did you leave it to stack after taking it from the freezer?
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Fiona, I am not sure exactly what you are asking? Feel free to message me directly on Instagram and we can go back and fourth quicker 🙂 I take the cake layers out of the freezer about 30 minutes before I begin assembling the full cake. Let me know if I can help with anything else or how you like the cake!! Take care. XX Liz
Claire says
Fun to bake, so delicious and the family loves it! I’ll definitely bake it again.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Claire, thanks so much for coming back to star rate and review the recipe. So glad you enjoyed the cake!! Take care. XX Liz
Patricia Woodruff says
What are your suggestions for a 9 X 13 cake? How should I put together. Made for my
granddaughters birthday and all went wild. It does not stay stacked in warm weather.
Thanks. Patti
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Patti, thanks for reaching out! If it were me I would bake the cake as normal in a 9X13 pan and then let it cool then do a thick layer of ganache then a thicker layer of strawberries and whipped cream then drizzle the ganache all over the top. I don't think doing a double-layer sheet cake would be ideal in this situation. The cake bake time I would start checking at about 25 minutes but it might take up to 35ish minutes. And yes I would not serve this stacked in warm weather- since it is fresh whipped cream it can be very melty and slippery! Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you try how it goes! Thanks! XX Liz
Patricia Woodruff says
Thanks so much for answering so quickly. Cake is baked and i'm putting together tomorrow for Taylor's birthday and Mothers day. Will let you know how it turns out.
Daisy says
I used this recipe today and its the first cake I ever baked from scratch and it was 10/10!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world! I used buttermilk instead of whole milk and I didn’t find any milk powder at the market so I made the whipped cream without it and it still held up really well although I’m not sure if it’s purpose was for texture or flavor.
Thank you again this was the perfect birthday cake!!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Daisy, thank you SO MUCH for coming back to leave this review! It warms my heart to hear this all! So excited for you to enter your cake baking journey!! Glad you found all the steps so helpful! I hope you try more recipes in the future! If you do may I ask a huge favor, please? Would you be so kind to leave a star rating with the review, the star ratings are what Google picks up to share my recipes and it's easier for other readers to quickly see the success of other readers. I would appreciate it so much. Thanks again and I hope you have a lovely weekend! XX Liz
PattyBakes.sf says
Love love loveeee this recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂 it’s my go-to cake for birthdays because who does not like chocolate?! Cake is perfectly moist & I’m so glad I came across this recipe!
Elizabeth Waterson says
HI Patty Bakes!! thank you so much for the lovely review. So pleased you enjoyed the cake!! It's one of my all-time faves! Take care. XX Liz
Alysha says
So I'm planning to make this cake next week for my daughter's birthday, but she wants it decorated as a unicorn, so I'm also planning to make a stabilized whipped cream frosting for the outside and unicorn decorations ect. I do have one question. If I make it the day before, and store it outside where it's cold, will it be good the next day? I just worry that the strawberries might get too liquidy and possibly ruin the shape of texture of the cake.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Alysha, thanks for reaching out. I worry about making this cake into a decorated one because the fillings its quite heavy, so I would suggest cutting back on filling amounts. I personally would not do it the day before, I would make the cake a day or two ahead of time, slice the strawberries, and then do the rest the morning of the party. You could try it the day before but the strawberries might release too much of their juices. Please let me know if you have any other questions or if you try the recipe I would love to know what you think! And happy early birthday to your girl! XX Liz
Alysha says
Unfortunately for me my daughter heart is set on chocolate strawberries and cream and decorated like a unicorn..(she will be 5) Thank you for the advice! I was wondering if there's anything you would recommend to maybe make the whipped cream thicker if possible to help it stay in place when decorating. I plan to use that as the outside layer of frosting as well.. I've never made a cake like this nor decorated one so I'm nervous to see how it turns out.
Alysha says
I am also only planning to do 3 thicker cake layers instead of 4 thinner ones, hoping that helps it be a little more stable for the decorating to go over well. Wish me luck!
Patricia Woodruff says
Just to let you know , i have made this as a sheet cake many, many, times. such a big hit. never a slice left. so happy i found this wonderful recipe that makes so many people happy. XXOO, Patti
Elizabeth Waterson says
Aww Patricia, thank you so much!! This makes me SO happy!!! May I ask a huge favor, please? Would you mind leaving a star rating with your comment/ review next time, it helps my other readers quickly see that other people have had success with the recipe! I would be so grateful!
Marin says
I made this for my husband's birthday and it was a hit! Adding the coffee to the chocolate cake made the flavor amazing!
I had some chunks in my chocolate ganache, so make sure you chop up the chocolate as finely as possible! That was my mistake, but it was still delicious!
I also did not have dried milk powder for the whipped cream, but it still held up quite well.
Next time I make it I would add even more strawberries for extra sweetness. Otherwise it was perfect!
Ecko says
I noticed that the weight of the ingredients is not exactly equal to what the measurement would be. The cocoa powder you recommend would only be 72g for 3/4 cup based off the package. You have 90g for 3/4 cup. 72g vs. 90g is quite a difference... 125%. So I'm wondering if I should use the grams or the measurement you have listed? Especially since my cocoa powder is only 5g per tablespoon, not 6g like the one you recommend. Thanks for the help.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Ecko, I would go off of the weight of the measurements for the best accuracy. Sorry for the confusion. Please let me know if you try the recipe I would love to know what you think! XX Liz
Emma says
Hello Elizabeth, from the UK,
This is a wonderful, decadent and delicious recipe, thank you so much. I’ve made this 3 times for my daughter’s Birthday now ( she requests it, as it’s her favourite). This year I made extra ganache and whipped cream, and used the ganache to frost the entire cake. Then I piped the extra whipped cream on top and decorated with chocolate-dipped strawberries. Very naughty, but very good! The ganache really makes it great in my opinion. Thanks again.
Ashley says
I made this for my boyfriend’s birthday & it was a 10/10. The coffee in the cake batter really does something amazing to the cake.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Ashley, yay so glad you liked the cake, what a lovely girlfriend you are making a cake for him, lucky guy!! May I ask a huge favor please? Next time you leave a review could you please include a star rating by clicking on the stars? It really helps my other readers quickly see if others have had success with the recipe and helps my google standings! I appreciate it!! Thank you! XX Liz
Anonymous says