Strawberry Chocolate Cake

Introduction & Inspiration

There are few flavor combinations as classic or as romantic as rich chocolate paired with sweet, juicy strawberries. It’s a match made in dessert heaven! This Strawberry Chocolate Cake takes that beloved duo and elevates it into an elegant, show-stopping dessert featuring layers of flavor and texture: a moist chocolate cake base, a light-yet-rich chocolate mousse packed with fresh strawberries, and a glossy chocolate ganache topping adorned with delicate chocolate curls.

My inspiration for this particular cake construction came from wanting to showcase the beauty of whole strawberries nestled within a cloud of chocolate mousse. Using a springform pan allows us to build this structure, revealing the stunning interior when sliced. It’s more than just a cake; it’s an edible centerpiece, designed to impress both visually and with its delightful taste.

We start with a simple, reliable chocolate cake recipe, ensuring a moist foundation. The star, however, is the luscious chocolate mousse, lightened with whipped cream and stabilized with gelatin, carefully enveloping fresh strawberries. Finished with a smooth ganache and homemade chocolate curls, it’s a dessert that feels truly special occasion-worthy.

Let’s embark on creating this beautiful Strawberry Chocolate Cake together. I’ll guide you through each step, from baking the perfect base to crafting the delicate mousse, assembling the unique structure, and even making those lovely chocolate curls. It’s a rewarding process that results in pure elegance.

Nostalgic Appeal

The pairing of chocolate and strawberries often evokes feelings of romance and celebration. Think of Valentine’s Day treats, elegant anniversary desserts, or the simple luxury of chocolate-dipped strawberries. It feels inherently special, a step up from everyday flavors, often associated with moments of indulgence or gifting.

While maybe not a standard childhood birthday cake, the combination holds a certain sophisticated nostalgia for many. It speaks of fancy restaurant desserts, celebratory teas, or perhaps special springtime or early summer treats when strawberries are at their peak. The contrast between rich chocolate and bright, fresh fruit feels both decadent and refreshing.

This cake, with its careful arrangement of fresh strawberries within a smooth chocolate mousse, captures that elegant appeal beautifully. The glossy ganache finish and delicate chocolate curls further enhance the feeling of a special, handcrafted dessert. It feels like something you’d find in a high-end pastry shop, yet achievable at home.

Sharing this Strawberry Chocolate Cake often feels like presenting a truly special gift. Its beauty invites admiration, and the familiar yet elevated flavor combination is always a crowd-pleaser. It connects the simple pleasure of fresh fruit with the luxurious indulgence of fine chocolate.

Homemade Focus

Creating this Strawberry Chocolate Cake from scratch allows you to achieve a level of elegance and freshness that is truly special. While the cake base is straightforward, the homemade focus truly shines in the creation of the chocolate mousse and the intricate assembly. Making the mousse involves carefully melting different chocolates with butter, stabilizing whipped cream with gelatin, and gently folding these components together – techniques that require care and result in a far superior texture and flavor compared to instant mixes.

The highlight of the homemade process here is the unique assembly within the springform pan ring. Carefully arranging the halved strawberries around the edge and nesting whole berries within the mousse requires patience and attention to detail. This hands-on involvement ensures the stunning visual presentation when the cake is sliced, revealing the beautiful strawberry-studded interior – something uniquely achievable through homemade effort.

Furthermore, taking the time to make homemade chocolate curls adds a professional pastry-chef touch that elevates the entire dessert. While requiring temperature sensitivity and practice, mastering this technique is incredibly rewarding and adds significant visual appeal. Controlling the quality of the chocolate used throughout – in the cake, mousse, ganache, and curls – also contributes significantly to the final luxurious taste.

From carefully folding the mousse to artfully arranging the berries and scraping delicate chocolate curls, every step reinforces the value and satisfaction of creating such an impressive dessert entirely by hand (using a simple cake base recipe!).

Flavor Goal

My primary flavor goal for this Strawberry Chocolate Cake was a perfect marriage of rich chocolate and bright, fresh strawberry, delivered through contrasting textures. The single chocolate cake layer needs to provide a moist, flavorful foundation – deeply chocolatey but not so overwhelming that it masks the fruit. Its texture should be soft and yielding.

The chocolate mousse layer aims for richness balanced with lightness. Using both semi-sweet and white chocolate with butter creates a complex, creamy chocolate flavor profile, distinct from a simple cocoa-based mousse. Stabilized with gelatin, it should be airy yet firm enough to hold its shape and encase the strawberries beautifully. The fresh strawberries embedded within must provide bursts of authentic, sweet-tart fruitiness that cuts through the richness of the mousse and chocolate cake.

The chocolate ganache topping adds another layer of intense, smooth chocolate, providing a glossy finish and reinforcing the chocolate theme. The optional homemade chocolate curls contribute not just visual elegance but also a delicate chocolate snap.

Overall, the experience should be a harmonious blend where neither the chocolate nor the strawberry dominates, but rather they enhance each other. Richness should be balanced by freshness, smooth textures contrasted by the juicy berries and crisp curls. It should taste elegant, refreshing, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s explore the key ingredients in this elegant Strawberry Chocolate Cake. The cake base uses a simple, reliable recipe: sugar, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and boiling water. This combination reliably produces a moist, tender chocolate cake layer perfect as a foundation.

The Chocolate Mousse gets its complexity from a blend of fats and chocolates: unsalted butter, high-quality semi-sweet chocolate (chopped for even melting), and white chocolate (also chopped). These are melted together, cooled, then folded into a stabilized whipped cream base. Heavy whipping cream (high fat content essential) is whipped with powdered sugar for sweetness and vanilla extract for flavor. Unflavored gelatin, bloomed in cool water then gently melted, is added to both the whipped cream and the melted chocolate component (as per recipe, though adding all gelatin to cream is more common – follow recipe carefully) to provide stability so the mousse sets firmly enough to slice. Fresh strawberries are key – the recipe suggests finding small ones for easier arranging and a better visual inside; they need to be hulled and some halved vertically.

The Chocolate Ganache topping is a simple mixture of chopped semi-sweet chocolate and scalded heavy cream, creating a rich, pourable glaze. For the Chocolate Curls, using semi-sweet baking chocolate (bar form, often found in the baking aisle) is generally better than chips, as it contains more cocoa butter and fewer stabilizers, allowing it to curl more easily when scraped. A small amount of vegetable shortening or oil is added to make the chocolate slightly more pliable and less brittle when scraping the curls.

Essential Equipment

Creating this structured Strawberry Chocolate Cake requires a few specific pieces of equipment along with standard baking tools. Crucially, you need one standard 9-inch round cake pan to bake the single cake layer (the recipe specifically warns against using a springform pan for the thin batter). You also need the ring from a 9-inch springform pan for the assembly process – this ring is placed around the cooled cake layer on its serving plate to contain the mousse and strawberries.

An electric mixer (stand mixer or handheld) is needed for the cake batter and essential for whipping the heavy cream for the mousse and topping to the correct stage. You’ll need several mixing bowls: a large one for the cake batter, a heatproof bowl for melting the chocolates and butter (microwave-safe or for a double boiler), a small dish for blooming the gelatin, and a bowl (preferably chilled metal) for whipping the heavy cream. Standard measuring cups and spoons are necessary.

Whisks are useful for dry ingredients and smoothing the ganache. Rubber or silicone spatulas are vital for folding the mousse components together gently. Wire cooling racks are needed for the cake layer. A piping bag (even a large Ziploc with the corner snipped) is helpful, as the recipe suggests, for piping the mousse around the strawberries to fill gaps evenly without disturbing their arrangement.

For the chocolate curls, you’ll need a flat baking sheet (metal preferably, as it chills quickly) and a sturdy metal spatula with a straight edge, or a bench scraper, to scrape the curls from the chilled chocolate layer. An offset spatula is useful for spreading the final ganache topping smoothly.

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here are the precise measurements needed for this elegant Strawberry Chocolate Cake:

For the Chocolate Cake Layer (baked in a standard 9-inch pan):

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (approx. 115g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (approx. 35g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water

For the Chocolate Mousse Filling:

• 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
• 12 oz. (approx. 340g) high-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3.5 oz. (approx. 100g) white chocolate, chopped
• 1 3/4 cups (420ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 2/3 cup (approx. 80g) confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 2.5 Tablespoons cool water
• Approx. 2 quarts fresh strawberries (small ones preferred), hulled

For the Chocolate Ganache Topping:

• 2/3 cup (160ml) heavy cream
• 5.5 oz. (approx. 155g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

For the Chocolate Curls (Garnish):

• 3.5 oz. (approx. 100g) semi-sweet baking chocolate (bar recommended)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening or vegetable oil

Assembly Equipment Note: You will need a 9×3 inch springform pan ring (the removable side part) for assembly.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s create this stunning Strawberry Chocolate Cake! First, bake the chocolate cake layer. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a standard 9-inch round baking pan (NOT a springform pan for this step) and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry cake ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to combine and remove lumps. Add the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until well combined. Carefully stir in the ½ cup of boiling water until just combined (the batter will be very thin).

Pour the thin batter into the prepared standard 9-inch pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment paper, and let it cool completely. Turning it upside down helps flatten any dome.  

While the cake cools, prepare the chocolate mousse filling. In a small dish, sprinkle the 2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin over the 2.5 tablespoons of cool water. Let it sit undisturbed for 5-10 minutes to bloom (hydrate and solidify). Set aside.

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chopped semi-sweet chocolate, chopped white chocolate, and the 6 tablespoons of butter. Melt this mixture gently over a double boiler (a bowl set over simmering water, not touching) or in the microwave at 50% power in short bursts, stirring frequently, until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool until lukewarm but still fluid.

Gently heat the bloomed gelatin over very low heat (or microwave for 5-10 seconds) just until it liquefies completely – do not boil. Ensure there are no lumps. Let it cool slightly.

In a large (preferably chilled) bowl, combine the 1 3/4 cups of cold heavy whipping cream and the 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer with whisk attachment(s), beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks start to form (peaks hold their shape but curl slightly at the tip). Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar while beating. Slowly drizzle in the cooled liquid gelatin while the mixer is running on medium speed. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat.

Now, combine the mousse components. Gently stir a few large spoonfuls (about 1 cup) of the whipped cream mixture into the cooled melted chocolate-butter mixture. This lightens the chocolate base, making it easier to fold. Add the lightened chocolate mixture back into the remaining whipped cream. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream, scraping from the bottom and turning the bowl, until just combined and no white streaks remain. Be careful not to deflate the airy mixture.

Time to assemble the cake! Place the completely cooled chocolate cake layer onto your final serving plate. Carefully place the ring (the sides only) from your 9-inch springform pan around the cake layer, ensuring it fits snugly against the plate. Spread a thin layer of the chocolate mousse (about ½ cup) evenly over the cake base inside the ring.

Prepare the strawberries: Hull them and cut the stem ends flat so they can stand upright. Select enough nice-looking berries, halve them vertically, and arrange them cut-side-out, tightly against the inside edge of the springform ring, standing upright on the thin mousse layer. Fill the entire center area inside the ring of halved berries with whole strawberries, standing them upright as well. Trim the bottoms of taller berries as needed so they are all roughly the same height and fit below the top of the ring.

To fill the gaps without disturbing the berries, the recipe suggests transferring the remaining mousse to a piping bag (or large Ziploc with corner snipped). Carefully pipe the mousse into all the gaps between the standing strawberries, ensuring there are no large air pockets. Pipe or gently spoon the rest of the mousse over the tops of the strawberries, spreading it carefully to create a smooth, level top surface even with the top of the springform ring.

Place the assembled cake (still in the ring on the serving plate) into the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight, until the mousse is completely set and firm.

Once the mousse is set, make the ganache topping. Place the 5.5 oz of chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the 2/3 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan just until it simmers. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk gently until the ganache is completely smooth and glossy. Let it cool slightly until it’s barely warm but still easily pourable.

Pour the slightly cooled ganache over the set mousse layer inside the springform ring. Gently tilt the plate or use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer covering the entire top. Place the cake back in the refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes, or until the ganache is set.

Once the ganache is set, carefully run a thin, sharp knife or offset spatula around the inside edge of the springform ring to loosen it from the mousse. Gently unlatch and lift off the springform ring.

Optional: Make the chocolate curls just before serving. Melt the 3.5 oz of semi-sweet baking chocolate with the 1 tablespoon of shortening or oil until smooth. Spread this mixture in a thin, even layer onto the back of a cool metal baking sheet. Place the sheet flat in the freezer for 6-8 minutes, just until the chocolate is firm but not rock hard. Remove from freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 2 minutes (timing depends on room temp). Hold a sturdy metal spatula or bench scraper at about a 45-degree angle to the chocolate. Push firmly across the chocolate surface; if the temperature is right, it should form curls. If it shatters, it’s too cold (wait another minute). If it mushes, it’s too soft (freeze briefly again). Gently lift curls onto the cake.

Garnish the top of the cake with the chocolate curls (if using) and fresh strawberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Troubleshooting

This elegant cake involves techniques that need care. The mousse is key: ensure gelatin blooms fully in cool water and melts completely but gently (no lumps!). Adding cooled liquid gelatin slowly to cold whipping cream while mixing helps incorporate it smoothly. Folding the cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream gently prevents deflation. If the mousse doesn’t set, gelatin issues (old, undermelted, not enough) or incorrect folding are likely culprits. If chocolate seizes during melting, it was overheated or got wet.

Assembling requires patience. Ensure the cake base is fully cool. Arranging strawberries takes time; uniform size helps. Piping mousse into gaps prevents air pockets and ensures stability. If mousse leaks under the springform ring, it wasn’t sealed tightly against the plate, or the mousse was too warm/runny when poured. Thorough chilling is non-negotiable for the mousse to set before removing the ring.

Ganache can split if cream is too hot or if whisked too vigorously while hot. Let it sit, then whisk gently. If too thick after cooling, gently warm or add a drop of warm cream. If too thin, cool longer.

Chocolate curls are notoriously finicky and depend heavily on the chocolate temperature and thickness. Too cold = shatters. Too warm = mushes. The 2-minute wait after freezing is a guideline; adjust based on your conditions. Use firm pressure with the scraper. If curls aren’t working, make simple chocolate shavings with a vegetable peeler instead – still elegant!

Tips and Variations

Let’s personalize your Strawberry Chocolate masterpiece! Instead of strawberries, ripe raspberries would also be stunning in this cake, offering a tarter contrast to the chocolate mousse. You could even use a mix of berries. For an adult twist, consider lightly soaking the chocolate cake layer with a tablespoon or two of Chambord (raspberry liqueur) or Crème de Cacao before adding the mousse.

Want to play with the chocolate flavors? Use milk chocolate in the mousse for a sweeter, milder flavor, or bittersweet chocolate for an even deeper, less sweet result. You could add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the mousse’s chocolate mixture to enhance the chocolate notes.

If making chocolate curls seems daunting, skip them! Simply garnish generously with fresh strawberries and perhaps some high-quality chocolate shavings (made easily by running a vegetable peeler down the side of a chocolate bar). A dusting of cocoa powder or powdered sugar around the edge of the plate adds simple elegance.

Ensure your strawberries are dry before placing them in the mousse to prevent excess moisture pockets. If using very large strawberries, you might need to cut them into quarters for the center filling to avoid large gaps. Using a cake collar (acetate strip) inside the springform ring during assembly can create extra-smooth, professional-looking sides when the ring is removed.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

This Strawberry Chocolate Cake is a true showstopper, ideal for elegant dinners, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or spring celebrations like Easter or Mother’s Day. It absolutely must be stored covered in the refrigerator due to the mousse and fresh fruit. Serve it chilled directly from the fridge; the mousse needs to be firm to hold its shape beautifully when sliced.

Slicing requires care due to the whole berries inside. Use a long, sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut. This helps glide through the mousse and ganache cleanly and prevents dragging. Present slices immediately to showcase the stunning interior with the arranged strawberries.

What pairs well with this balance of rich chocolate and fresh fruit? A glass of Champagne or Prosecco feels celebratory and its bubbles cut through the richness nicely. A light dessert wine, like a sparkling rosé or a Moscato d’Asti, could also work. For non-alcoholic options, coffee or tea provides a classic contrast, while sparkling cranberry or raspberry juice could echo the fruit notes.

Given its richness and beauty, it needs little accompaniment. A few extra fresh strawberries on the side are always welcome. It’s a dessert designed to impress all on its own.

Nutritional Information

This elegant Strawberry Chocolate Cake, with its layers of chocolate cake, rich chocolate mousse (made with butter, two types of chocolate, cream, and sugar), fresh strawberries, ganache, and chocolate curls, is undeniably an indulgent dessert. It’s a treat high in calories, sugar, and fats (particularly saturated fats from butter, cream, and chocolate).

The fresh strawberries contribute vitamins (especially Vitamin C), fiber, and antioxidants, offering a refreshing counterpoint to the richness. However, the overall profile remains that of a decadent dessert meant for special occasions. The cake base uses oil, contributing some unsaturated fats, but the mousse and toppings rely heavily on butter, cream, and chocolate.

Making it at home allows control over ingredient quality, but significantly altering the recipe to reduce fat or sugar would compromise the intended textures (airy mousse, crisp curls, rich ganache) and flavors.

Enjoy this beautiful creation as a special indulgence. Appreciate the interplay of flavors and textures, the freshness of the fruit against the rich chocolate, and the effort involved in its careful assembly and decoration. It’s a memorable dessert perfect for celebrating life’s sweeter moments.

Print

Recipe Summary and Q&A

This recipe guides you through creating a stunning Strawberry Chocolate Cake assembled within a springform ring. It features a single layer of moist chocolate cake topped with a stabilized chocolate mousse (made with semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate, butter, and gelatin-stabilized whipped cream) that encases carefully arranged fresh strawberries. The cake is finished with a smooth chocolate ganache layer and garnished with optional homemade chocolate curls and more fresh strawberries. It requires significant chilling time to set properly.

Key techniques involve making a stable chocolate mousse using gelatin, the unique assembly method of arranging strawberries within the mousse using a springform ring on a serving plate, making ganache, and the optional (but impressive) technique for creating chocolate curls. The result is an elegant dessert with beautiful visual appeal when sliced.

Q&A:

• Can I use frozen strawberries? The recipe strongly implies fresh, especially for arranging whole berries. Frozen strawberries release a lot of water upon thawing, which would likely make the mousse watery and potentially prevent it from setting properly. They would also bleed color significantly. Fresh strawberries are highly recommended for this specific construction.
• My chocolate curls aren’t working! What’s the trick? Temperature is everything! The thin layer of chocolate on the baking sheet needs to be chilled until firm but not brittle. If it shatters, let it warm up for 30-60 seconds longer at room temp. If it mushes, chill it again briefly. The angle and pressure of your metal spatula/scraper also matter (around 45 degrees, firm pressure). Using baking chocolate (bar) usually works better than chips. Practice makes perfect, or just make shavings!
• Can I make this without gelatin? The mousse relies on gelatin for stability to hold its shape around the strawberries and allow for clean slicing. Without it, the mousse would be much softer, likely pudding-like, and wouldn’t support the structure or allow for removal of the springform ring cleanly. Agar-agar could be a vegetarian substitute but requires different preparation.
• Why bake the cake in a regular pan first, then assemble in the springform ring? The cake batter is very thin (due to boiling water) and would likely leak out of the bottom of most springform pans during baking. Baking it in a sealed standard pan first ensures the base is cooked properly, then the ring is used purely for shaping the mousse layer on top during assembly and chilling.