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Strawberries and Cream Chocolate Cake is your new favorite chocolate cake recipe. A single layer moist chocolate cake with a hint of espresso, topped with whipped cream, and macerated strawberries. This chocolate cake recipe is sure to be your new favorite dessert!
For more chocolate cake recipes, try my chocolate pudding cake and chocolate ganache cake!
I’ve always had an interesting relationship with chocolate. Sometimes I love it, other times I hate – super finicky. However, one thing that I’ve always enjoyed is a good chocolate cake. Specifically, a soft, slight rich, and fluffy chocolate cake.
That’s exactly what this cake is – super moist, tender, chocolatey without being overbearing, and flavored with a tiny hint of espresso. Not to mention, the whipped cream topping with strawberries?! This recipe is like having a chocolate covered strawberry in the form of a cake.
it’s no secret, i love to bake
It’s not secret that here at Britney Breaks Bread, I love to bake. Everything from cake to cookies to biscuits to bread, I love it all. This Strawberries and Cream Chocolate Cake may be my new favorite baking recipe. It’s not only easy, but it’s freaking delicious!
I’ve been loving everything with berries as of late. Between my mixed berry shortcakes and strawberry shortcake cake, this cake is no different! This time however, it’s berries and chocolate cake. Sounds yum right?! Not to mention, the strawberries that I picked up from Balducci’s over the weekend were so sweet and perfectly ripe, I couldn’t resist pairing them with this chocolate cake to make the ultimate desserts.
how do you keep chocolate cake moist?
There are two rules of thumb that I think are absolutely necessary for keeping cake moist – add fats (oil, butter, sour cream etc) and do not over bake your cake! Of course there’s more that goes into it, but here’s where you start.
Also, be sure not to over mix your cake. I know that I say this with every single cake recipe that I have on the blog, but it’s so critical. How do you know if you’ve over mixed your cake? If when you take a spoon of batter and drizzle it into the bowl and it’s formed more of a dough, it’s over mixed. The batter should be somewhat loose and able to be drizzled. If not, the cake may be a bit tough and dry.
how do you make strawberries and cream chocolate cake?
So, start with the cake. Simply mix together dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. Then combine the two. Mix together hot milk and espresso powder and add that to the batter (this helps hydrate the flour which makes for a flavorful and moist cake). Fold the hot milk and espresso into the batter and then pour batter into a greased/parchment lined baking pan and bake for 40 minutes.
While the cake is baking, cut up some strawberries and add sugar and lemon juice. Toss together and put in the refrigerator. Then make some whipped cream simply by beating together sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Add to the refrigerator until ready to use.
Once the cake is finished, allow it to cool completely (do not skip this step. if the cake is hot, the whipped cream will liquify and the cake will be soggy – yikes!). Layer whipped cream on top and add the strawberries on top. Garnish with mint if you like!
craving more strawberry recipes?
- Strawberry Cake with Champagne Buttercream
- Blood Orange Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Rose Streusel
- Strawberry Rose Maple Syrup Cake with Champagne Buttercream
craving more chocolate recipes?
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
- Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Donut Cake
- Chocolate Toffee Pretzel Cookies
- Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Strawberries and Cream Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch cake pan
- hand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (I used extra light olive oil)
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Milk, hot
- 2 tsps Espresso Powder
Strawberries
- 15-20 medium Strawberries, cut in half
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 Lemon, squeezed (about 1 tbsp)
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan and/or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract until smooth. Add to dry ingredients and fold together until fully incorporated and no dry spots are in the batter.
- In a cup or a small bowl, heat 1/2 cup of milk in the microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until slightly hot. Add espresso powder and whisk together. Pour into cake batter and continue to mix together until batter is uniform.
- Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While cake is baking, cut up strawberries and pour sugar and lemon juice on top. Toss together and add to the refrigerator. Then make the whipped cream by adding heavy whipping cream and sugar to a large bowl and beating until stiff peaks form. (about 2-3 minutes) Fold in vanilla extract and pinch of salt and add to refrigerator until ready to use.
- Once cake is done, let the cake cool for 5 minutes then remove the cake from the pan. Allow it to cool completely. Then add whipped cream and strawberries on top. Garnish with mint, optional
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Had to leave a comment as this cake was a nice treat to whip up for a short notice family celebration at dinner!
I did want to point out to remember to add the oil as I don’t think the written directions and that I did have to pull my cake out at the 36 minute mark as I smelt some burning. Glad the prep for the frosting and clean up kept me in the kitchen as it resulted in a clean toothpick. Hours later I heard so many “mmmms” and “yummy!” at the table that I was happy I attempted a chocolate cake again as a new baker. Oh, lastly—I subbed Greek yogurt and it was perfect textually compared to sour cream. Even with my subsitutiom, this recipe was a coffee/brownie lovers dream!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!! Thanks for your feedback!!
I’m finicky about chocolate, too, and this recipe hit the spot! I’ll be making this cake again for my dad’s birthday.
I love this cake! It’s so moist and chocolatey, and the strawberries and whipped cream on top make the perfect combination.
Thanks Chenee!