Chocolate-strawberry naked cake

Step 1/6

• ½ eggs
• 30 ml vegetable oil
• 60 ml whole milk
• 60 ml water (hot)
• vegetable oil (for greasing)
• unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting)

• oven
• whisk
• parchment paper
• 3 baking pans (8 in.)
• bowl (large)

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping the pans slightly to remove any excess. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, oil, milk, and water.

Step 2/6

• 62½ g flour
• 16¼ g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 87½ g sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅜ tsp baking soda
• ⅜ tsp baking powder
• vanilla sugar

• whisk
• large bowl

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, some of the vanilla sugar. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined.

Step 3/6

• wire rack

Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake cakes for about 20 – 25 min. at 180°C/350°F, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool for 10 min. in the pan before unmolding, then let cake cool completely on a wire rack. Chill for approx. 15 – 30 min. so that cakes firm up.

Step 4/6

• 56¼ g butter
• 93¾ g confectioner’s sugar
• vanilla sugar
• ½ tbsp heavy cream
• 30 g strawberries

• cutting board
• knife
• hand mixer with beaters

Meanwhile, make the buttercream: Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add cream and continue to beat until smooth and creamy. If needed, add a bit more cream to loosen the buttercream until silky. Slice strawberries.

Step 5/6

• offset spatula
• serrated knife
• rubber spatula
• cutting board

If needed, cut off rounded cake tops with a serrated knife to make them level. Add one layer to cake plate and evenly spread some of the buttercream over it to cover. Top with a layer of strawberries, then add the second cake layer. Repeat, ending with adding the third layer of cake. Refrigerate for approx. 15 – 30 min. or until cake is cool and firmed up a bit.

Step 6/6

• chocolate glaze (for garnish)
• writing icing (for garnish)
• strawberry (for garnish)

• bench scraper

Thinly coat cake with remaining frosting, letting the chocolate cake peek through to achieve a “naked” look. Prepare chocolate glaze according to package instruction, then drip it over one of the edges of the cake. Garnish with strawberries and add writing, if you like. Enjoy!

Enjoy your meal!