Chocolate Strawberry Cream Cake

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease two eight-inch round pans with non-stick baking spray and set aside. To keep the layers flat, cut an old tea towel into strips 2-3 inches wide. Run the tea towels under the faucet and squeeze out excess water. The tea towels should be wet but not dripping. Wrap the towels around the cake pans and tie them snuggly so they don’t fall off. The cool towels will slow the rate of cooking on the outer edges so that the cake cooks more evenly.

Sift all dry ingredients (flour through salt) into the bowl of a stand mixer or another large mixing bowl. Add all of the remaining cake ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer). Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula and mix for 30 seconds more. Batter will be very fluid. Pour batter into the greased cake pans, using a kitchen scale to ensure you have the same quantity of batter in each pan.

Bake for 25-35 minutes on middle oven rack or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean. Remove pans to a cooling rack and let the cakes cool for 10 minutes or until sides of cakes have pulled away from the pans. Using another cooling rack placed on top of each cake pan, flip over the racks and pans and press on the bottoms of the pans to remove cakes. Let cakes cool to room temperature.

For the filling/topping:

While the cake cools, wash strawberries and allow them to dry slightly in a colander. Trim off the greens and slice the strawberries into a bowl and set aside.

Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, pour gelatin and water into a stainless steel bowl. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Place 1/3 cup of cream in a small pot over medium-low heat. Once cream comes to a simmer, pour it slowly over the gelatin. Mix with a fork until gelatin has dissolved. Place the bowl in the fridge and allow to cool until the outside of the bowl is neutral in temperature. Stir the bowl often or the cream will begin to gel.

Using the whisk attachment of a standing mixer, beat the remaining cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on high until soft peaks form, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Reduce to medium-speed and drizzle the gelatin mixture into the mixer bowl. Return to high and beat until firm peaks form. Mixture will resemble Cool Whip.

For the assembly:

Once your strawberries are sliced and your whipped cream is prepared, slice each layer of chocolate cake into two. Cut them in half horizontally using a good long bread knife. I find it’s easiest to rotate the layer while you are slicing, making sure you keep the knife level as it slices around the cake.

Place one of your new, small layers onto a plate or serving platter. Spread one fourth of the whipped cream over the top of the cake layer to the edges, leaving the sides bare. Spread one fourth of the strawberries evenly over the whipped cream. Repeat the order for the next three layers.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Adapted from Sweetapolita.