This Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Recipe has been dancing around in my head for a while now after enjoying a delectable strawberry cake last spring at one of our favorite cafes.

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com

It turned out just as I had hoped for, full of strawberry flavor, reminiscent of romance and springtime. This strawberry cake, made with a fresh strawberry puree mixed into the batter, just beckoned to be covered with a Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. So I obliged.

I toyed with ways to make this strawberry cake a dark pink without using food coloring, but I really didn’t want to intrude on the strawberry flavor too much, so a bit of pomegranate juice was all that was added. The batter is quite pink, but as with all cakes that don’t use artificial food coloring or another color enhancer, like beet powder, once baked, the color tones down to a slight trace of pink. Of course, that’s okay, because even though the color may be subdued, I assure you, the flavor is not, and topped with a rich Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, this Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake is the perfect combination for a special occasion cake. It think it’s particularly perfect for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. Yes, ma’am. Particularly perfect, indeed.

Strawberry Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com Dark Chocolate Frosting with Strawberry Cake Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com

More delicious cake recipes to try:

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Recipe

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Recipe

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Recipe

Yield: 16
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

This cake is perfect for any special occasion or if you have ripe strawberries that need a good home.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter, unsalted
  • 2 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 egg whites, room temperature
  • Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Instructions

Over low heat, melt butter in a small saucepan.

Add strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, plus pomegranate juice to blender, puree until smooth. Whisk mixture into melted butter until completely combined. Let warm on low for 5 minutes, remove from heat. Transfer to a large mixing bowl that will be used later for cake batter, cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least an hour.

Generously butter 3 (9-inch) round pans, line bottoms with parchment paper and butter those too. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

In a separate bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Separately, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Once butter/strawberry mixture has chilled, beat on medium, add remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, beat together for 2 minutes.

Turn beater/mixer to low, then, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate adding flour mixture and milk/extract mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, being sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times. Mix until well combined.

Gently fold in beaten egg whites by hand until incorporated.

Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Bake at 350-degrees F for about 25 minutes, or until done. (Doneness is recognized by center of cake springing back with light touch of fingertip, and when cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.) Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, loosen edges of cake and carefully turn out on cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Once cooled top with your favorite frosting. Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe with this cake is a nice combination.

Notes

This cake makes 3 9-inch round layers, about 1-inch thick each. It could also be made in 2 9x2-inch round cake pans. Be sure to adjust cook times accordingly.

Ripe strawberries were used to make a puree that was then mixed with melted butter, and combined with part of the sugar and pomegranate juice. A little unconventional, but I believe it creates a more intense strawberry puree. Good, ripe strawberries are the key for the best flavorful result.

Food coloring may be used if looking for a more colorful presentation. I can’t speak for how much (perhaps a few drops?), or how it may affect the taste.

Did you make this recipe?

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Strawberry Cake Recipe with Dark Chocolate Frosting | shewearsmanyhats.com

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com Strawberry Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com

Originally posted February 7, 2014.