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Chocolate Strawberry Martini Cake
All my chocolate strawberry lovers - here's how to make a delicious strawberry vodka-infused Chocolate Strawberry Martini Cake!
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 788kcal
Equipment
- Cake leveler (optional)
- Squeeze bottle (or piping bag or spoon, for cake drip)
- Martini glass (these layers bake dense enough to hold a real glass, but you can also use a plastic one!)
Ingredients
Chocolate Strawberry Martini Cake Layers
- 3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- 1 cup egg whites (about 7 eggs, or use carton egg whites so you don’t waste yolks!)
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- ¼ cup mashed strawberries (or strawberry preserves)
- 4 tablespoons Strawberry vodka
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1-2 drops liquid red food coloring (optional; I wanted a slightly brighter pink!)
Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
- 1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons Strawberry Vodka
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk (if needed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 3-4 drops liquid red food coloring
Cake drizzle (optional)
- 6 ounces Strawberry Vodka (2 per layer)
Cake Drip & Decorations
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
- 12 oz heavy whipping cream (1 ½ cups)
- Few fresh strawberries (for decorating)
Instructions
Chocolate Strawberry Martini Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8 inch round pans with baker's floured spray (or grease and line with parchment rounds).
- Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.
- Mix bits of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Pour in egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk on a low speed. Add in strawberries, strawberry vodka, oil, and food color if desired, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part; mine each weighed about 600g). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
- Bake for 34-37 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
- Once the layers have fully cooled, they can be leveled and any caramelized bits can be trimmed from the sides / top of the cake using a serrated knife if desired. Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before trimming. If you try to trim the layers while they’re still warm, they will crumble apart. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk and vodka until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add salt if needed and food color and beat until well combined.
Assembly
- Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle.
- With a measuring cup or a jigger, infuse each cake layer with about 1 ½ - 2 ounces (45-60 mLs) of strawberry vodka. Let sit for a minute or two to let it soak into the cake layers.
- Spread the first layer with frosting. (This is optional, but I added just a bit of strawberry preserves to the frosting I filled the cake with.) Add your next cake layer on top, and repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
- Now you're ready to crumb-coat. If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
- Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part.
- Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting. (This is a great time to make your chocolate ganache for your drip!)
Chocolate Ganache drip
- Combing chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on half power in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted and smooth.
Decorating
- I usually find a squeeze bottle or piping bag work the best for this drip; a spoon will work but won't give you as much control.
- When your ganache has cooled to a moderate temperature – it should feel slightly warm and still be fairly liquid – transfer it to a squeeze bottle or piping or small ziplock bag – or get your spoon ready!
- (Optional: Slowly drizzle ganache into your martini glass in a spiral pattern – place in the fridge to set so it doesn't run.)
- Add ganache around the upper edge of the cake, pausing every inch or so to let ganache run in drips down the side of the cake. Add enough to the top of the cake to cover it, smoothing it with your small offset spatula. Once your cake is covered, invert the glass and press an edge into the top of the cake at about a 45 degree angle.
- If needed, smooth any gaps or bumpy spots with an offset spatula. Place the cake into the refrigerator to set the drips!
- Cut a few strawberries in half lengthwise, a few in heart shapes, and you can even make small slits working from the top to make a strawberry rose! Add the berries around the glass on the cake – and you’re done! Cut in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
(Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 788kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 38g
Did you make this Chocolate Strawberry Martini Cake?
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How much milk for the frosting in this recipe? Planning on making it next week! 😊😊😊
Not much, just 1-2 tablespoons to make it easier to spread. I left that out of the ingredients line; thank you for catching that! Let me know how it goes! 🙂