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If you’re looking for the ultimate Valentine’s Day dessert that combines two romantic classics – chocolate covered strawberries and decadent cake – you’ve found it! This chocolate covered strawberry cake transforms everyone’s favorite special occasion treat into an irresistibly moist chocolate cake topped with strawberry buttercream frosting and a rich chocolate ganache drip.
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As a former culinary teacher, I’ve learned that some of the most impressive desserts start with simple shortcuts. Starting with a cake mix for this chocolate covered strawberry cake ensures perfect results every single time!
This recipe was actually born from my obsession with chocolate-covered strawberries. Every Valentine’s Day, I’d spend hours dipping fresh strawberries in melted chocolate, trying to make them look perfect. One year, inspiration struck – why not combine them with my favorite chocolate cake recipe? The result was even better than I imagined!
Transforming chocolate-covered strawberries into cake form is pure magic. A moist chocolate cake topped with silky strawberry buttercream and a gorgeous chocolate ganache drip? Yes, please!
Those chocolate-covered strawberries perched on top make it look like it came from a fancy bakery and using espresso in the cake gives it a deep flavor that no one will ever know began with a box. It’s become my go-to for every special occasion and I bet it will become yours too!
What goes into this Recipe
- Chocolate Cake Mix: Starting with a box mix is the secret to perfect results every time!
- Milk: Adding milk instead of water creates an incredibly moist chocolate cake with rich flavor. I used 1% milk, but you can use whole milk or whatever you have on hand.
- Brewed Coffee: Don’t skip this ingredient – even if you’re not a coffee drinker! A small amount of brewed coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. You can use instant coffee dissolved in hot water if needed.
- Strawberry Buttercream: A dreamy combination of soft butter, powdered sugar, and strawberry jam creates this silky frosting. The jam gives it an authentic berry flavor that’s better than artificial strawberry extract.
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries: These gorgeous toppers are easier to make than you think! Choose small to medium-sized fresh strawberries with bright green stems, make sure they’re completely dry before dipping in melted chocolate, and let them set on wax paper. They’re the perfect finishing touch for the top of the cake!
- Chocolate Ganache: This glossy topping is just two ingredients – chocolate chips and heavy cream! The ratio of chocolate to cream determines how fluid it will be. Add more cream for a perfect ganache drip, or keep it thicker for a rich topping.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
- Combine the cake mix, milk, brewed coffee, vegetable oil, and eggs in a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer until well combined. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan, spreading into an even layer. Bake at 350° for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Beat the room temperature butter and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with a mixer until the butter breaks down into small pieces. Add the strawberry jam and continue mixing until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add milk or cream as needed for a spreadable consistency.
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread the strawberry buttercream over the top of the cake in an even layer.
- Combine milk chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. If needed, heat in 15-second intervals until completely melted. Add more cream if needed for a spoonable consistency.
- Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the buttercream, spreading to create an even layer.
- Melt the chocolate wafers in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Dip each dry fresh strawberry into the melted chocolate, shaking off excess, and place on wax paper. For extra flair, drizzle additional chocolate over each strawberry. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Arrange the chocolate-covered strawberries on top of the ganache while it’s still slightly warm so they stick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the ganache before serving.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for the buttercream. Cold butter won’t cream properly with the powdered sugar and strawberry jam, leading to a lumpy frosting. Set your butter out at least an hour before starting.
- Want an extra special presentation? Create a chocolate drizzle over your dipped strawberries by putting additional melted chocolate in a squeeze bottle or piping bag. This adds a professional touch that’s surprisingly easy!
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake! Even if you’re not a coffee fan, it deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. It’s the secret to making a box mix taste like a decadent delicious cake from scratch.
- You can prepare components separately to save time. The chocolate-covered strawberries can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The strawberry buttercream can also be made a day in advance – just store in an airtight container in the fridge and bring to room temperature before frosting the cake.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Store: This chocolate covered strawberry cake recipe should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The fresh strawberries and chocolate ganache make refrigeration necessary, but let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Freeze: While you can freeze the chocolate cake base, this dessert is best enjoyed fresh due to the fresh berries and ganache topping. If you need to work ahead, you can bake the cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before adding the strawberry buttercream, chocolate ganache, and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can divide batter between two 8-inch or 9-inch round prepared cake pans. You’ll need to double the strawberry buttercream and chocolate ganache recipes to have enough for filling and covering the sides of the cake. Use an offset spatula to create a smooth finish.
While you can use thawed, pureed frozen strawberries, they add too much moisture to the strawberry frosting. Strawberry jam gives you the perfect balance of flavor and texture. If you want an even more intense berry flavor, you can add freeze-dried strawberries pulverized in a food processor.
While the coffee doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee, you can substitute hot water if you prefer. The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, but the cake will still be delicious without it!
Do you love chocolate? Try these delicious recipes…
Did you try this recipe?Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @practicallyhomemade on Pinterest!
The Best Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix, {13.25 ounces}
- ¾ cup milk, {I used 1%}
- ¼ cup brewed coffee
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
Strawberry Buttercream
- ¾ cup butter, {softened}
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup strawberry jam
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- 12 small fresh strawberries
- 5 ounces chocolate melting wafers
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- To prepare the cake batter: Combine cake mix, milk, coffee, oil and eggs to medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer until well combined. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick spray and pour prepared batter into the greased pan. Spread into an even layer.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs {no raw batter}. Cool completely in the pan.
Strawberry Buttercream
- Combine the butter and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with a hand held mixer. The two ingredients will not totally combine but the butter will break down into smaller pieces. Once that happens add the strawberry jam and continue to mix. It will take 30 seconds to a minute for the mixture to come together into a spreadable buttercream. Add enough milk or cream to make the buttercream piping consistent. Set aside until ready to use.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add the dark chocolate wafers. Start microwaving with one minute, stir and then add 30 second intervals until all of the chocolate is melted and smooth. Take each strawberry and hold either by the green stem or place a toothpick into the top and dip into the melted chocolate. Shake off any excess chocolate and place each strawberry onto a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet. Continue until all of the strawberries are dipped. Optional: Go back and drizzle additional chocolate over the top of each strawberry. Let the strawberries set at room temperature for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set. You can also refrigerate them to allow the process to happen sooner.
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the milk chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk the ingredients until smooth. If it is still chunky, add 15 seconds and whisk again. To get the ganache a smooth spoonable consistency, add enough heavy cream to get it there.
Assembly
- Once the cake is cool, top the cake with the strawberry buttercream and spread out into an even layer. Top the frosting with the chocolate ganache and spread into an even layer. Finally add chocolate covered strawberries to the top of the cake. Cut into 12 squares and serve. Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The chocolate covered strawberries make this easy cake feel so fancy!