Light and fluffy chocolate cake is topped with an almond buttercream frosting and fresh strawberries. This Chocolate Almond Strawberry Cake is made in a 9 x 9-inch baking pan for the perfect little sheet cake to end a summer dinner on the patio.
If you love strawberry cakes as much as I do, make sure to check out my Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake, Strawberry Almond Cake or my Eggless Strawberry Shortcake!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I make this easy Chocolate Almond Strawberry Cake in a 9×9-inch cake pan, so it's smaller than my Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake and perfect for a small gathering, or even just for you and your family. This is a chocolate cream cheese cake that's topped with an almond buttercream frosting and fresh strawberries. I love to leave the leaves on the strawberries for presentation as it looks so fresh and delicious. Plus, if you didn't know, you can actually eat the stems!
You can also substitute another fruit if you can't get strawberries right now. You can also use raspberries, which would be amazing, or even blueberries or blackberries. This is an easy swap you can make depending what you can find that that is fresh, or even if you just want to switch it up because of personal preference.
Tips for Chocolate Almond Strawberry Cake
• I use a 9×9-inch USA Pan for this recipe, which I highly recommend. Their pans are just amazing for baking! But, if you have a glass or ceramic 9×9-inch pan then that will also work just fine too.
• Make sure your butter is softened for this recipe. I like to leave it out on the counter overnight to do that naturally. But, with the weather being so warm, it will probably soften up much faster than that this time of year.
• Also make sure your eggs and milk are room temperature. This is important because when adding cold ingredients to a cake with softened butter the cold ingredients can cause the butter seize up. Then the butter will clump and cause lumps in your cake batter. So that's the reason why the ingredients should be room temperature.
• I use a little bit of organic avocado oil in this cake, but if you don't have avocado oil you can also use canola oil in its place. You may also use coconut oil that is melted.
• I use a Dutch cocoa powder in this recipe, it's what I always use. If you only have natural cocoa powder, you can use that as well, but the cake may not be as dark in color or rich in flavor. So, think of buying a Dutch cocoa powder to stock your pantry with as it is much better for baking.
• Make sure to allow the cake to cool completely before removing it.
• I use parchment paper because I love it and I use it for everything. But, if you prefer not to use it, then just make sure to grease the cake pan very well before adding the batter in. Also, if you don't use parchment paper you can leave the cake in it and frost in there as you will be able to slice and remove it from the pan if there isn't parchment paper in the bottom. This would be ideal if you are taking this to a BBQ or a party.
• This cake does need to be stored in the fridge once the strawberries are added. If you are taking it somewhere like a party, you can slice the strawberries and put them in a Tupperware and bring with you. This way the cake can stay out and then you can top it with the strawberries before serving. Even if you are baking this just for your own home, you can also do this trick!
Ingredients for Chocolate Almond Strawberry Cake
Costco Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar
Lafaza Organic Ground Vanilla Bean
Carapelli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
NuNaturals Organic Dutch Cocoa Powder
Florida Crystals Organic Powdered Sugar
Frontier Co-Op Organic Almond Extract
Organic Strawberries
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
Moist and rich chocolate cake is topped with almond buttercream frosting and fresh strawberries. This is a summer cake recipe that you'll want to bake for your next party!
Ingredients
- Batter
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
57 grams (1/4 cup) organic cream cheese
170 grams (3/4 cup) organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon organic vanilla bean
2 organic large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup organic milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
142 grams (1 cup) organic cake flour
43 grams organic (1/2 cup) organic Dutch cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Frosting
1/2 cup organic salted butter, softened
284 grams (2 cups) organic powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons organic milk
1 teaspoon organic almond extract
- Topping
6 ounces organic strawberries, sliced
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cream cheese, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks and the mixture is lighter in color. About 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, milk, olive oil and mix on low to combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. Add the flour mixture to the cake mixture and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again to combine into a smooth batter.
- Transfer to the prepared baking pan and bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pan.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, milk and almond extract. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Remove the cake from the cake pan and place on a serving board, frost the top of the cake with the frosting. Top with sliced strawberries. Serve immediately.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight conta
Notes
- Gluten Free — Replace the cake flour with 142 grams (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) organic gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @mimibakescookies and @mimibakesphotos on Instagram!
Did you like this post?
Make sure to check out my Birthday Snack Cake recipe, which I'm sure you'll love too! And, share it with someone who you think will like it too!
