Dark Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

This fudgy dark chocolate cake is stacked tall and filled with traditional strawberry buttercream frosting. Brownie fans will love the texture; strawberry fans will adore the butter-filled icing. True to its name, this rich buttercream gets its decadent texture from plenty of butter.

- Recipe by Beth Kirby of Local Milk

    

• Makes: 16 servings
• Prep: 1 hr
• Bake: 30 mins 350°F
• Chill: 1 hr

Dark Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

Ingredients

• 1 1/2
  cups water
• 3
  cup (567 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 1/4
  cup (281 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2
  cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/4
  teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4
  teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/4
  teaspoons baking powder
• 3
  large eggs, lightly beaten and room temperature
• 1 1/2
  cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 3/4
  cup canola oil or olive oil
• Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8x2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper. Grease the paper; set pans aside. Bring water to boiling.
2. In a very large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir to just combine with a rubber spatula, scraping down the bottom of the bowl to make sure there's no dry bits (mixture will be thick). Pour in the boiling water and stir to just combine, scraping down bottom.
4. Divide batter between prepared pans, filling pans about 1/2 full (about 3 cups batter per pan). Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center of each comes out clean.
5. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Before icing, wrap cooled cakes in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
6. Place a cake layer on serving platter. Frost layer with 2 cups buttercream. Repeat with remaining cake layers and frosting.

From the Test Kitchen

TO MAKE AHEAD:

Prepare and frost cake as directed above. Loosely cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving to allow the frosting to soften. If you like, prepare cake layers. Wrap or place in freezer containers. Freeze for up 1 month. Thaw and frost as directed.

Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

Ingredients

• 8egg whites, room temperature
• 1 1/2cup (300 grams) sugar
• 1/2teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 6sticks (1 1 /2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon-size pieces and room temperature
• 1vanilla bean, split and beans scraped
• 2teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2cups fresh strawberries, halved

Directions

1. In a very large heatproof bowl continually whisk egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt over a pan of simmering water until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
2. Remove. Beat with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add butter, a small piece at a time, until mixture thickens and becomes smooth and spreadable (If it begins to curdle, continue to whisk and add another piece of butter until smooth.) Stir in vanilla bean seeds and vanilla.
3. In a food processor or blender process or blend strawberries until smooth. Press through a fine mesh strainer (you should have 3/4 cup puree). Stir strained strawberry mixture into the frosting.

Nutrition Facts (Fresh Strawberry Buttercream)

Per serving: 
• 6295 kcal cal., 
• 553 g fat 
• (350 g sat. fat, 
• 21 g polyunsaturated fat, 
• 143 g monounsatured fat), 
• 1463 mgchol., 
• 1102 mg sodium, 
• 324 g carb., 
• 4 g fiber, 
• 316 g sugar, 
• 36 g pro.
 
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Nutrition Facts (Dark Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream)

Per serving: 
• 739 kcal cal., 
• 47 g fat 
• (24 g sat. fat, 
• 4 g polyunsaturated fat, 
• 16 g monounsatured fat), 
• 128 mg chol., 
• 478 mg sodium, 
• 77 g carb., 
• 3 g fiber, 
• 59 g sugar, 
• 8 g pro.
 
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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