A very special birthday cake! |
A flat of Oxnard’s finest! |
This year, John is getting a bit spoiled with three birthday cakes! His first was an Italian Cream Cake. We spent the 4th of July with John’s sisters and their families at a beautiful Marriott Resort in Newport Beach. In addition to John’s birthday, we celebrated birthdays with our niece, Katie, nephew, Jordan, and sister, Pam. So, this cake had to be extraordinary! John wanted a chocolate cake with fresh strawberries – and our whole family loves chocolate, so I searched until I found this perfect recipe for The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever} from Add a Pinch. This post on Robyn’s blog currently has 486 comments! Most of them back up her claim that this truly is the BEST Chocolate Cake Ever, so I decided I had to make it. And, our family agrees – it is the BEST!
Strawberries peeking out! |
Here’s where I Susanized Robyn’s recipe (because you know that’s how I am!). I covered the first cake layer with chocolate frosting, then topped it with sliced strawberries. Then, I covered the top of the second cake layer with chocolate frosting and inverted it so that the strawberries were sandwiched between 2 layers of chocolate frosting. Once the cake was assembled and frosted, we stood Marbled Chocolate Cigarettes from Pastry Chef Central all around the outside of the cake to create a basket for whole strawberries on top. Then, we tied it with a ribbon to secure them all in place before refrigerating the cake. All four birthday people loved their cake, as did the rest of our family. The cake is dense, moist, and chocolaty – like the best Devil’s Food Cake you can imagine. Top that with fudge frosting and strawberries for a match made in chocolate heaven! This cake comes together so quickly and easily. The frosting is a bit different in that the butter is melted before you whip it into cocoa powder then blend in powdered sugar. This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had and is an absolute must for the chocolate lover in your life!
A chocolate cake filled & topped with beautiful Oxnard strawberries! |
Historic Cottages at Crystal Cove State Beach, California |
Christina Conte says
WOW!!! What a cake! John is truly being spoilt this year! You did an amazing job, Susan! I’m going to have to try this recipe at some point! (Trying NOT to turn my oven on lately!) 😉
Have Apron....Will Bake says
That is one beauty of a cake! Love the fresh strawberries on top. I can’t wait to see the third cake! 🙂
Kathy says
Gorgeous cake, Susan!! How lucky is John to get three birthday cakes? The finished cake is just spectacular! Happy Birthday, John!
Mary Hirsch says
This is gorgeous. Only YOU would think of flipping the top cake to sandwich the strawberries betweem the two frosting tops. Love the marbled chocolate cigarettes. John is spoiled, spoiled, spoiled.
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says
All about this cake is fantastic Susan! For a minute I thought you had made the chocolate cigarettes too! Gorgeous cake for a birthday.
Chris Scheuer says
!Wow Susan, this looks fantastic! Your husband must have been thrilled with this cake!
Cher Rockwell says
Perfect! I love cakes like this – it reminds me of a pocky cake that I made last year for one of my girl’s birthdays.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
What an incredible cake, I love the sound of that fudge frosting!
Cocoa and Lavender says
Susan – this is a stunner! As I said before, John is one lucky man! ~ David
Trevor Sis Boom says
Ah…you were so close! Y’know…I used to run one of the kitchens at that Marriott you were at. lol. Ah…good times. A lifetime ago. LOVE Crystal Cove!