Strawberry Fudge Cake

I'm not much for baking cakes because something always seems to go wrong! When it's time to make a birthday cake I generally just go for a boxed mix - although I do make my own frosting from scratch. Our Little One turns 2 on Friday, so continuing a new tradition I planned to make a cake to share on Sunday night. After some thought and a strong desire not to make another trip to the grocery store for a cake mix, I chose to get creative with this cake. I adapted a basic chocolate cake recipe from Hershey, and added a special twist to traditional cream cheese frosting. This cake was absolutely divine! I don't even care for sweets and I had a piece for breakfast this morning! I asked my kids what it should be called and our Oldest Girl said, "Fudge Strawberry Awesomeness!" But I think I'll call it ...


Strawberry Fudge Cake

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling coffee

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in coffee. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans onto wire racks.

Meanwhile, in a small microwaveable bowl, melt together:

6 squares white baking chocolate
1/2 tablespoon butter

(Use 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between heating.)

While cake layers are still warm, spread the chocolate evenly over each layer. Allow the layers and chocolate to cool completely.

Cake layer with the white chocolate spread over it.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
5-6 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup strawberry preserves

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, extracts and half of the confectioners' sugar. Mix until smooth, then add in the preserves and continue adding the sugar by the 1/2 cup until the desired consistency is reached. If the preserves don't make the frosting as pink as you'd like, you can add a drop of red food coloring. 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Spread a layer of frosting over the bottom layer of your cake, then top with second layer and frost the top and sides. Store the cake in the refrigerator.