My fourth child just turned nine a couple of weeks ago, and I still can’t believe how fast time has flown. One moment he was a tiny, squirmy toddler and now he’s this lanky, lively boy.
Seriously—where did he come from? He’s easy on the heart and the eyes: sweet, kind, thoughtful, and slow to anger. He’s also full of spunk and mischief. On the same day he tearfully told me he loves dogs so much he “kind of wants to be one” and asked for five more dogs (in addition to the three we already have), he also gave his baby brother an unsolicited haircut. Classic him.
He’s my little drummer, a bouncing bundle of energy who rarely walks—he bounces. My sister once tried to imitate his non-stop motion for five minutes and gave up exhausted. Maybe the name fits—remember Leif Ericson, “Lucky Leif”? My Leif is our four-leaf clover champion: whenever he’s outside and there isn’t snow, he finds handfuls of four-leaf clovers. He’s found them even with a dusting of snow once or twice. He finds them in neighbors’ yards too. Yes, he’s my Lucky Leif.
I adore him and I’ll keep him.
When I asked what he wanted for his birthday cake, he shouted, “STRAWBERRY CAKE! With that chocolate shiny stuff!” How could I say no? I wouldn’t get him another dog, but a cake? That I could do. So I made him a moist strawberry cake covered with a rich dark chocolate ganache—basically a giant chocolate-covered strawberry in cake form.
Happy Birthday, Sweet Lucky Leif.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3 ounce package strawberry-flavored gelatin mix
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 cup strawberry puree (from frozen, thawed strawberries)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- butter and flour for the pan
For the Ganache:
- 1 pound dark chocolate chunks or chopped dark chocolate
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
To Bake the Cake:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans and set them aside.
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Cream the butter, sugar, and dry strawberry gelatin together with a stand mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the cake flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. In a measuring cup, combine the strawberry puree, milk, and vanilla.
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Alternate adding about one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the strawberry mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape the bowl as needed. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
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Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn them out to finish cooling completely before icing.
To Make the Ganache:
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Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium to medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Whisk gently in one direction until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Chill the ganache in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until it’s thick enough to spread rather than pour.
To Assemble the Cake:
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If needed, level the cakes by trimming any domed tops.
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Place one cake layer on a plate and spread about 3/4 cup of ganache over the top, bringing it to the edges. Center the second layer on top, then spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake.
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Allow the ganache to set. Speed this up by refrigerating the cake briefly. Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week; it’s best served at room temperature.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your creation.