It’s finally time for dessert to be served at Rafe and Juliet’s Valentine’s Day Dinner. And Chocolate Strawberry Cake is the on the menu! Rafe is proud because he made it himself, and Juliet is stunned because, well, he made it himself. And he made it in a tiny kitchen in their even smaller apartment. Valentine’s Day is almost over, but for Rafe and Juliet this is just the first of many Valentine’s Days to come.
Rafe: “Dinner was delicious and I’m intensely proud of my dessert. I’m not a big fan of sweets, but this cake is delicious and not too hard to make.
Juliet is smiling at me as she eats, offering little sighs of satisfaction with every bite. Yes, dinner was a success. Dessert even more so. But now I’m looking forward to what comes next. Then again, after being away for eight years, I’m grateful for any time spent with my wife.”
Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 2/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 1 15.25 oz Box Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons strawberry emulsion
- 1 1 oz bag Freeze Dried Strawberries *pulsed to a fine powder
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 cups confectioners' sugar
Garnish
- Chocolate covered strawberries and candies for garnish
Instructions
Cake
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Preheat the oven to 325℉. Grease and flour 2 8"-round cake pans. Set aside.
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In the large bowl of a standing electric mixer, whisk together all of the cake ingredients except for the premade cake mix.
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Using a fine sieve, sift the premade cake mix into another bowl. Then turn on the mixer on low and slowly add the sifted cake mix into the the other cake ingredients.
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Pour the batter evenly into the two cake pans. Bake for 22-24 minutes and then allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Take the cakes out of the pan and, once completely cool, wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the freezer until ready to use.
Buttercream Frosting
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In the bowl of the stand mixer, whip the butter until it's fluffy. Add in the salt, vanilla, strawberry emulsion, strawberry powder, and heavy cream. Mix on low until it's all combined. Then slowly mix in the confectioner's sugar–about 1/4 cup at a time, intermixing it with the heavy cream. Add more cream or sugar until you get the desired consistency. For a few moments turn the mixer on high to get a fluffier frosting.
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On a cake plate, stack and frost the cake rounds. If you're feeling adventurous, use a frosting bag and piping tip to declare the cake. Once it's frosted, refrigerate for 10 minutes to set the frosting. Then decorate with your favorite flowers, candies, or chocolate covered strawberries.
