Description
This Chocolate Covered Strawberry Drip Cake recipe features layers of moist chocolate cake, fresh strawberry buttercream, a glossy ganache drip, and chocolate-dipped strawberries. It’s the perfect cake for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, or any celebration. This chocolate strawberry cake is easy to make, incredibly rich, and visually stunning.
Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 ½ cups freeze-dried strawberries (blended into powder)
¼ cup heavy cream (plus more as needed)
1 cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)
½ cup heavy cream (for ganache)
12 fresh strawberries
½ cup melted chocolate (for dipping strawberries)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease three 8-inch round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry. Stir in boiling water slowly until smooth; batter will be thin.
5. Pour evenly into pans and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
7. For the frosting, beat softened butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in freeze-dried strawberry powder. Add cream until spreadable.
8. Level the cake layers. Frost each layer and the entire cake with strawberry buttercream. Chill briefly.
9. Heat ½ cup cream until simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 2 minutes, then stir into a smooth ganache. Let cool slightly.
10. Drizzle ganache around edges of cake using spoon or piping bag. Let set slightly.
11. Dip strawberries into melted chocolate and let set on parchment. Arrange on top of cake.
12. Chill cake until ready to serve. Slice with a warm knife for clean cuts.
Notes
The freeze-dried strawberries give real flavor without watering down the buttercream.
Use high-quality dark chocolate for the best ganache consistency.
If layering in advance, wrap cooled cake layers in plastic and freeze.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 270mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 85mg