“They laugh at me because I’m different; I laugh at them because they’re all the same.”-
A classic is a classic is a classic.
I keep trying to think of new flavours and flavour combinations but keep boomeranging back to the tried and tested! Because somethings just work. Like chocolate and strawberries.
This is a sky high cake with four layers of chocolate cake, filled with alternating layers of strawberry buttercream and chocolate buttercream, and frosted with dark chocolate ganache. I know its potentially too much but I have been crushing on some of Liv’s cakes for so long that i thought let me try matching in height what i would love to match in taste!
The cake is my go to recipe for eggless chocolate cake when I want to make a layer cake. It makes enough for two 8 inch pans or two 6 inch pans depending on how tall a cake you want. It bakes up nice and flat so there is not much wastage. It is a one bowl recipe. Ofcourse none of that would matter if the cake didn’t taste good. Which it does! It’s moist and delicious and better than any eggless chocolate cake I have ever eaten.
Now let’s talk about the buttercream. I usually prefer the meringue style of Frosting (less sweet, a lot more buttery). My favourite is the Swiss meringue, but I am quickly warming up to the Italian meringue buttercream and have on occasion used the French buttercream too (especially when I want to use up leftover yolks!). When I am making a egg free cake, I prefer whipped cream or the less sweet ermine buttercream.
The reason I am using a regular or American style buttercream here is because I get numerous requests for it. Truth be told, whipping cream can be a hassle (availability and usage!) and not everyone wants a long drawn procedure for making frosting.Granted, American buttercream is a lot sweeter but it is simple to make, easy to flavour and stands up to heat the best.
In fact, I made one buttercream and split it to flavour with strawberry puree and melted chocolate. You can use just the strawberry buttercream. Will work just as well!
And if two flavours of buttercream werent enough , I went ahead and covered the cake with dark chocolate ganache. Why ? Because chocolate . And because it is yum, rich, dark and decadent. And because – What can I say, a classic is a classic !
Eggless chocolate and strawberry layer cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 280 grams or 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 300 grams or 11/2 cups granulated sugar
- 60 grams or ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 240 ml or 1 cup milk at room temperature
- 240 ml or 1 cup water at room temperature
- 120 ml or ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the buttercreams
- 225 grams or 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 375 grams to 500 grams or 3 - 4 cups icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Pinch of salt
- 60 ml or 1/4 cup strawberry puree
- 60 to 100 grams dark chocolate
For the dark chocolate ganache
- 300 grams dark chocolate
- 200 grams or ml cream
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat your oven to 160 C or 325 F . Butter and flour two 6 inch round pans . Line the bottom with parchment ( optional).
- In a large bowl , whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, sugar , baking powder , baking soda , cocoa and salt.
- Add the liquid ingredients - water , milk , oil , vanilla and vinegar.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Immediately divide among your two pans and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 5 minutes and then gently unmould and cool completely on wire rack.
To make the ganache
- Chop the chocolate as small as possible. Place in a bowl.
- Heat cream until its just about to boil (bubbles along the sides).
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Cover and let it rest for 2 or 3 minutes.
- Using a spatula, mix until all the chocolate has melted and you have smooth ganache.
- You can heat it a bit if there are some lumps remaining.
- Cover and let rest at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours.
To make the buttercream
- Sift 3 cups (375 grams ) of the icing sugar. Keep aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add the icing sugar little by little and beat well after each addition. Once all the sugar has been added, add the salt and milk and beat until desired consistency is achieved.
- Divide this into two portions, doesn't have to be exact.
- Into one, mix in the strawberry puree one tablespoon at a time until you get desired flavour . Don't add more if the buttercream becomes too loose or liquidy.
- Into the other portion, add melted chocolate in the same manner until desired flavour is achieved.
To assemble
- Slice the cooled cakes horizontally into two slices each.
- Place one slice on a cakeboard or plate .
- Using a piping bag and round tip (or corner snipped off), pipe a ring of ganache around the edge. This is a dam so the buttercream doesn't go into your outside ganache frosting.
- Spread about half cup of the chocolate buttercream inside this dam as smoothly as possible. Place next layer on top, press gently. Dam with ganache and fill with strawberry buttercream. Continue with third layer and fill with chocolate buttercream.
- Place the last layer on top. Put about half cup of ganache on top and using a offset spatula, smoothen the top.
- Now cover the sides, adding more ganache where required.
- Smoothen it as much as possible. Chill the cake for about 15 minutes.
- Smoothen the ganache as needed and if you wish, pipe some strawberry buttercream on top or the sides.
- Serve at room temperature!
Notes
It lasts for about 3 days.
You can bake the same batter in two 7 or 8 inch pans for a less tall (2 layer) cake.
If the buttercream seems too loose after adding the puree or chocolate, you can adjust with more icing sugar.
For more concentrated strawberry flavour, you can heat the puree with half a teaspoon of lime juice until reduced.
My measuring cup is 240 ml.
I made a slight effort on the outside of this cake as well. Did you notice?? Baby steps I know. But will get there. Meanwhile, I love how the slices look.
Speaking of slices, a slice of this cake is not for the faint hearted dessert eater, that’s for sure! A little goes a long way here!
