Over-the-top chocolate strawberry Valentine’s Day cake

I can’t have Valentine’s Day in my house without a pretty pink dessert, much to my husband’s chagrin. But I finally think I won him over with this homemade strawberry cake, topped with rich brownie frosting and chocolate-covered strawberries.

And if he doesn’t like it, I’ll just eat the whole thing myself with a bottle of bubbly Champagne. Valentine’s Day is all about love and, to me, that means a big slice of this decadently sweet and beautiful cake.

Strawberry cake with brownie frosting and chocolate-covered strawberries

Cake recipe adapted from Country Living

Serves about 8-10

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 2-1/2 cups cake flour
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Dash salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup strawberry jam
• 1/4 cup strawberries, smashed
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon white vanilla extract
• Red food coloring
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup 2 percent milk

For the frosting

• 6 tablespoons milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/3 cups chocolate chips
• Vanilla extract

For the chocolate strawberries

• About 6 strawberries
• 5 ounces chocolate chips
• About 1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. To make the strawberries, microwave the chocolate and oil in a bowl until melted, about 90 seconds, stirring after every 30 seconds. Dip the strawberries into the chocolate and place on parchment paper. Chill for at least 2 hours.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and a dash of salt together.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and milk until mixed.
5. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugars together. Add the jam, strawberries and eggs, one at a time to the sugar mixture, until fully combined. Beat in the vanilla and red food dye until you get a pretty pink color. Reduce to low and add the flour mixture and milk mixture, ending with the flour.
6. Pour the mixture into the two pans and bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Place the cakes on a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
8. While cakes cool, make the frosting. Melt the butter, milk and sugars together until thick. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla. Let sit until thick.
9. Once cakes have cooled, spread a bit of the frosting over the top layer and then place the other cake over it. Liberally cover the cakes with the rest of the frosting.
10. Top the cake with the chocolate-covered strawberries and slice.

More Valentine’s Day dessert recipes

Romantic, non-chocolate desserts for Valentine’s Day
Fried cheesecake burritos topped with strawberries
Red velvet fondue recipe