Ingredients:
For the Chocolate Delight:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup hot water
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cocoa Crunch:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (either light or dark)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons cocoa powder
Strawberry Cream Frosting:
- ¾ cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons water or lemon juice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups sifted powdered sugar
- A dash of salt
Directions:
Chocolate Delight:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Prep an 8” round cake pan and an 8” square cake pan with parchment paper and cooking spray.
- In a bowl, blend flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk eggs, yolk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla in another bowl. Gradually blend in the hot water.
- Gradually combine the dry mix into the wet ingredients using a spatula. Pour batter into pans and bake for 19-24 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.
Cocoa Crunch:
- Heat oven to 350 F. Prep a baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl until clumps form. Spread out on the baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes. Break into smaller pieces after cooling.
Strawberry Cream Frosting:
- Simmer strawberries, sugar, and water or lemon juice in a saucepan until reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Cool.
- Whip butter and cream cheese. Blend in powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla, strawberry mixture, and salt.
Cake Assembly:
- Trim and arrange cake pieces to form a heart shape.
- Frost with a crumb coat and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Finish frosting, garnish with cocoa crunch and optional strawberries.
Tips:
- Consider using cake trimmings as an alternative decoration.
- Fresh strawberries work best for the frosting.
- Adjust frosting consistency with powdered sugar or milk as needed.
- Store the cake in the fridge and best to frost close to serving time to maintain the frosting’s consistency.
- Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months. Thaw before using.
