So now that I have been baking a lot recently, I have been tasked with making cakes for my family’s birthdays.  We celebrated my sister’s birthday recently and she requested a chocolate cake, but one that incorporated strawberries somehow.  I think its safe to say that we all have a thing for strawberries. So I scoured the internet for recipes because I am not yet at the point of winging cakes, especially not for a birthday… That’s when I came across this cake from a Taste of Home.  It turned out really well. Rich and moist,  a little too much chocolate for my taste, but everyone else seemed to love it. Enjoy

Ingredients:

• 1 package chocolate cake mix (regular size)
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• FROSTING:
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• GARNISHES:
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled
• GANACHE:
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Grease 2 9″ cake pans
• Combine all the cake ingredients in a large bowl and beat on low for 30 seconds, then for 2 minutes at medium speed
• Pour evenly into 2 pans
• Bake at 350 degrees for ~30 minutes until done (toothpick comes out clean)
• While cake is cooling, make the frosting
• Beat the butter, sugar, and cocoa until fluffy, then add milk in and continue to mix until smooth
• Spread the frosting inbetween and around the cooled cake
• For the ganache, heat the whipping cream over medium heat or in the microwave
• Then mix in the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth
• Pour over the cake and arrange strawberries as desired
• I also used extra frosting to pipe designs onto the cake if that is something that interests you
• Cut, eat, and celebrate!