Chocolate strawberry cake starts with a tender chocolate sheet cake, topped with whipped cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberry sauce.
If you like this recipe, check out my French Strawberry Cake next!
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This chocolate sheet cake alone is worth saving my recipe. You can frost it however you like. A cup of hot coffee stirred into the batter blooms the cocoa powder. Giving it rich chocolate flavor while keeping it tender and moist. But frost it with my light and airy whipped cream cheese frosting. And then crown it with a ruby red sauce made with fresh strawberries. And this just might be your new favorite cake. My version of chocolate strawberry cake is truly sublime.
More sheet cake recipes
Ingredients for chocolate strawberry cake recipe
- Dry Ingredients – A combination of all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
- Wet Ingredients – Granulated white sugar plus sour cream, vegetable or canola oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Plus one cup of hot coffee poured into the batter at the end.
- Frosting – One package of cream cheese is whipped together with powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream and vanilla. It makes a stabilized whipped cream frosting that has a pleasant tang to it.
- Strawberry Topping – One pound of fresh strawberries are cooked together with sugar and a little balsamic vinegar until thickened to make the sauce.
Instructions
The strawberry sauce can be made the day before so it has plenty of time to chill. Combine one pound of sliced fresh berries with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. You could choose to use lemon juice instead. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 25 minutes uncovered until thickened. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or glass measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for four hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, minus the coffee. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix the batter together. Pour in the cup of hot coffee. And stir until well combined. Pour the cake batter into a 9×13 nonstick cake pan. Bake for 30 – 32 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the frosting. Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and stir on low speed until combined. Gently stream the heavy cream into the bowl while the mixer is still running on low speed. Then slowly increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. You’ll probably have to scrape down the mixing bowl a couple of times with a rubber spatula during this process.
Evenly frost the top of the cake using an offset spatula with the cream cheese frosting. Then use a spoon to evenly dollop the strawberries and sauce overtop of the frosting. Cut into 12 slices and serve. Keep scrolling to find my video tutorial and free recipe card.
Serving suggestions
This stunning strawberry chocolate cake is perfect for a special occasion. Like birthdays or Valentine’s Day. Really go all out and serve each slice plated with chocolate-covered strawberries! Here’s some recipes for one of my favorite special occasion meals –
Storage directions
Place cake leftovers in an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days. I don’t recommend freezing the cake after it’s been frosted.
Kitchen tools
- This is my new favorite nonstick cake baking pan
- A small spatula for serving cake slices
- My favorite set of mixing bowls with lids
Chocolate Strawberry Cake
Equipment
- 1 9x13 Nonstick Cake Pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Sauce
- 16 oz fresh strawberries stems removed and slced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Strawberry Sauce
- The strawberry sauce can be made the day before so it has plenty of time to chill. Combine one pound of sliced fresh berries with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. You could choose to use lemon juice instead. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 25 minutes uncovered until thickened. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or glass measuring cup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for four hours or overnight.
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix the batter together.
- Pour in the cup of hot coffee. And stir until well combined. Pour the cake batter into a 9x13 nonstick cake pan. Bake for 30 - 32 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
Frosting
- Meanwhile prepare the frosting. Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and stir on low speed until combined. Gently stream the heavy cream into the bowl while the mixer is still running on low speed. Then slowly increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. You’ll probably have to scrape down the mixing bowl a couple of times with a rubber spatula during this process.
- Evenly frost the top of the cake using an offset spatula with the cream cheese frosting. Then use a spoon to evenly dollop the strawberries and sauce overtop of the frosting. Cut into 12 slices and serve.
Video
Nutrition
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