Description

This Chocolate Strawberry Drip Cake is a rich and decadent dessert made with moist chocolate cake layers, creamy strawberry buttercream, and a luscious chocolate ganache drip. Topped with fresh strawberries, it’s the perfect centerpiece for any celebration or special occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chocolate Cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot water or brewed coffee
For the Strawberry Buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache Drip:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For Garnish:
Fresh strawberries
Optional: chocolate shavings or sprinkles

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two or three 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Stir in hot water or coffee. Batter will be thin.
Pour evenly into pans and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Prepare the Strawberry Buttercream: Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and ground freeze-dried strawberries. Mix in vanilla and cream, beating until smooth and spreadable.
Assemble the Cake: Layer the cakes with strawberry buttercream between each layer. Apply a crumb coat and chill for 20 minutes, then frost the entire cake smoothly.
Make the Ganache Drip: Heat the cream until just simmering, then pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until glossy and smooth. Cool slightly before dripping.
Decorate: Drip ganache over the edges of the chilled cake. Top with fresh strawberries and optional chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

For best results, use freeze-dried strawberries in the buttercream to avoid excess moisture.
Ganache should be pourable but not hot to create clean drips.
You can make the cake layers a day in advance and freeze them for easier assembly.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 480
Sugar: 38g
Sodium: 280mg
Fat: 27g
Saturated Fat: 15g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 56g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 80mg

Keywords: chocolate strawberry drip cake, layered chocolate cake with strawberries, strawberry buttercream cake, chocolate ganache cake, celebration cake recipe