Impress your guests with this strawberry chocolate cake that is both gorgeous and decadently delicious. Rich layers of dark chocolate cake covered in sweet homemade strawberry frosting and fresh sliced strawberries...a match made in heaven!
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Add parchment rounds to the bottom of the pans and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, coffee, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
In a medium bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk together until fully combined.
Fill the three pans evenly and back for 20-25 minutes, until the centers of the cake spring back when lightly pressed, or a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting the pans onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Strawberry Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix on low until the sugar is moistened. Add the cream 1-2 tablespoons at a time until the frosting begins to get creamy and smooth, not too stiff.
Add the powdered freeze dried strawberries to the frosting and beat until combined.
Assembly
Place the bottom layer of cake upside down on a plate or a cake stand. Add a generous dollop of frosting to the center and spread evenly over the cake, all the way to the edge. Add sliced strawberries on top of the frosting, but leave ½ inch of space around the edge of the cake round.
Place the second layer of cake upside down on top of the first and repeat the process with frosting and sliced strawberries. Top with the third layer of cake, again upside down.
Scoop 3-4 large dollops of frosting on top of the cake and spread until it is pushed over the edges of the cake. Use a straight frosting spatula to bring the frosting down the sides of the cake, taking care to not lift straight off the cake as that will cause you to pull chocolate crumbs off with the frosting.
Once the outside of the cake is coated in a thin layer of frosting, continue to add more frosting until it is thicker. Smooth the sides and the top of the cake.
Wash and dry your whole strawberries and dip in the candy coating chocolate that has been gently melted. Set dipped strawberries on parchment paper to allow the chocolate to harden.
In the microwave, heat the chocolate chip and cream in 30 second intervals, until the mixture can be stirred smooth.
Pour the chocolate ganache on the center of the top of the cake and use an off-set spatula to carefully spread it out to the edges, letting it gently spill over the edge of the cake to create the chocolate drips down the sides. Let the ganache set before finishing.
Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe swirls of frosting on top. Place a chocolate dipped strawberry on each swirl.