A Birthday Treat: Egg and Nut Free Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake!

C and I decided to start something new. For each family member's birthday, we are going to make them an egg and nut free cake (or dessert of their choosing). First up was his aunt Melanie. She said that strawberry was one of her favorite dessert flavors, so after some thought, we decided to try out a chocolate covered strawberry cake. It's a vanilla cake with strawberries folded in, covered in a "real" chocolate whipped cream frosting and chocolate covered strawberries on top. I used frozen strawberries that had been left out to thaw for the cake and fresh strawberries for the topping and decorations.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

Cake:
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup organic raw cane sugar (unrefined)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vinegar
4 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
2 cups cold water

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. Set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl with a wire whisk. Set aside. Combine the vinegar, vanilla, oil and water in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the strawberries. Pour batter into the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before frosting.

Frosting:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3-4 Tbsp. organic raw cane sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine heavy whipping cream and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until cream is whipped (until it looks like whipped cream....this will take a few minutes). Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat a minute longer until mixed.

When you are ready to frost, flip one cake over onto a serving dish (if it doesn't come out at first, slide a knife around the edges). Leave flat side up.

 Frost the top of this cake generously.

Flip the second cake on top of the first cake (with the flat side down) and then finish frosting the whole cake.

Top with chocolate covered strawberries and place strawberry halves around the edge.

Ta Da!

Yes, it was as good as it looks. 

Happy Birthday Aunt Mel!

Dad, you're next!