For my husband’s birthday this year, he once again requested a chocolate cake with white frosting. If you know me, then you know if I have made this cake in the past, I need to mix things up a little so we came up with this best chocolate cake with Strawberry Filling.
I have never made a filling for a cake, outside of frosting like this German Chocolate cake. We created a rich dark chocolate cake filled with a homemade strawberry filling. To achieve his wish for White Frosting, well buttercream of course.
(Disclaimer, I did try to make a cooked frosting and it did not work). Despite the mishap with the frosting, by far this was one of my favorite cakes yet. By far this was the best strawberry filling for a chocolate cake I have tried. Although our Chocolate Cake with Fresh Raspberries was the bomb too.
Dark Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Filling
I just love making a dark chocolate cake with a little coffee in the batter. Coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor and creates a dense batter. The steps are pretty simple to make this cake, just be sure to add parchment paper to your pans and spray the sides well.
While you are baking the cakes, make the strawberry filling.
How to make the strawberry filling for a chocolate cake
Heck, you can make this strawberry cake filling a few days in advance. You want the strawberry filling to sit in the fridge to set up perfectly.
The recipe I used made enough strawberry filling for two 8 inch cakes, so we used the extra on some waffles. Not sure which way I enjoyed it more.
I had fresh strawberries but you can use frozen strawberries as well, just not the ones with sugar syrup. I am sure this recipe would work for raspberries or mixed berries if that suits your tastes.
How to Assemble Layered Cake
Use a small layer of frosting on the bottom of each cake layer, just to prevent any soggy cake layers. Assemble the cakes by adding a nice layer of strawberry filling and repeat.
My husband thought I put too much as I had some challenges getting the frosting not to mix with the strawberry filling. OH well, this is what makes it homemade.
What is the best frosting for a chocolate cake with Strawberry Filling?
We used a white buttercream but a cream cheese frosting would be great too. Since we did not use any frosting for the filling, this cake had a great thick layer of white buttercream frosting.
Of course, he wanted to have chocolate sprinkles, so that was the extent of the decorations for this dark chocolate cake with strawberry filling.
Slice into this decadent yet delicious dark chocolate cake for your next special occasion. Trust me this might be a keeper for your birthday too.
Other chocolate cake recipes you are going to want to try!
Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Chip Frosting Recipe
Chocolate Candy Bar Cake Recipe
Best Birthday Cake Recipes
Some of our favorite homemade cake recipes we have had for birthdays and just because.
Easy Cake Recipes: One Bowl Chocolate Cake
One bow and only one layer are perfect for any time you are craving chocolate cake.
Chocolate Cake with Fresh Raspberry & Two Frostings
One of the best cakes we have made by far. Rich Chocolate cake layers filled with cream cheese frosting and fresh raspberries and covered in a chocolate buttercream frosting
Chocolate Cake with Cookies and Cream Filling ( OREO Cake Recipe)
Cookies and Cream in a cake... Bring it on.
Chocolate Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
The perfect Birthday Cake. Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake Desserts: Heavenly Strawberry Cake Recipe
If you love Strawberry and cream cheese frosting then you have found yourself a winner.
Oreo Cheesecake Cake Recipe
Another great cookies and cream in a cake version. This time we make it into a cheesecake layer.
Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Chip Frosting Recipe
What compliments a chocolate cake more than chocolate chip frosting?
The Only Carrot Cake Recipe You will Need
One of my top favorite cakes of all time. A carrot cake.
Spring Time Lemon Cake With Raspberry Frosting Recipe
The perfect way to celebrate a spring birthday.
Homemade Ice Cream Cake AKA Baskin Robins Ice Cream Cake
Cake and ice cream made into its own cake Ice cream cake
Chocolate Candy Bar Cake Recipe
Chocolate Candy Bar Cake REcipe is a classic chocolate cake with layers of chocolate on top.
Easiest Texas Sheet Cake Recipe- Desserts for a Crowd
Texas Sheet cakes are great for large birthday gatherings.
Best Chocolate Cake Recipe with Strawberry Filling
What is your favorite cake combination?
Other great cake recipes you will love:
Devil's Food Cake with Strawberry Filling & Buttercream Frosting
An incredibly impressive cake that is not that hard to make. The perfect birthday cake recipe.
Ingredients
- Cake
- 1 oz dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
- ½ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup hot coffee
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1⅓ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Filling
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups frozen or fresh strawberries, thawed and cut into bite size pieces
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice, optional
- FROSTING
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 lb confectionery sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1-3 TBSP Milk
Instructions
- For Cake
- Heat oven to 325. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour the hot coffee into this same bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the buttermilk until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.
- Add in the flour in three parts, alternating with the chocolate mixture.
- Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Turn out onto the rack and let cool completely.
- FOR FILLING
- Whisk water and cornstarch together in a large saucepan.
- Stir strawberries and sugar into the water. (add lime juice if using)
- Cook strawberry mixture over medium heat until thick, about 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before use.
For Frosting
- In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 673Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 102mgSodium 325mgCarbohydrates 98gFiber 2gSugar 81gProtein 5g
All information and tools presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on stayingclosetohome.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Everything here looks scrumptious, and your pictures really are great – got me drooling here! I would have to see if I could make a gluten-free version that would hopefully taste as good.
Thanks for the compliment on my post. .
I love chocolate with strawberries. This sounds like the perfect cake for my birthday next month!
Im not a huge dark chocolate person but I may have to try this
This cake looks divine! I would love if someone made this for my birthday!
So yummy! absolutely delicious and I love the way you’ve laid out your blog post with pictures and description. Thanks for sharing
thanks so much Tracy, I was thrilled to have a little strawberry filling left over too. Turned into a special birthday breakfast too.
Chocolate and strawberries always go together! This cake looks amazing. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
It’s been way too long since I’ve had chocolate cake. I could devour that right now.
Thanks for sharing the recipe with us. This looks amazing!
This cake sounds wonderful. I love the strawberry filling that can double as waffle topping (strawberry is the best waffle topping, if you ask me!). Chocolate and strawberries are one of my favorite combos, so this must have been absolutely delicious and can’t fault your husband for wanting chocolate sprinkles. They make everything better!
I’m not a fan of fruit in my cake, but this is my wife’s favorite combination. Especially with German Chocolate!
thank you for stopping by
What a gorgeous cake! Looks so scrumptious!
Strawberry anything makes food taste that much better!
Yum! Chocolate cakes are my favorite, especially when they have coffee in them! It really does enhance the flavor. Looks perfect to me. 🙂
OMG – this looks amazing!!! The pictures are fantastic!!
Chocolate and strawberry are very good looking partners in a cake. 🙂