Chocolate Cake with a Strawberry Jam Filling

Nothing makes me happier than baking things for my friends and family. It brings me more joy than anything else. This cake recipe does take some time, but it is definitely worth it. The end result is delicious and definitely a crowd pleaser. This cake is a labor of love, but you will love it. Making the strawberry jam from scratch is totally worth it. The flavor is amazing and it takes the cake to a whole new level. The chocolate cake is super chocolately and moist and pairs well with the strawberries. 

First you have to make the strawberry jam because it has to chill for about an hour.If you don't have that much time you can also put it into the freezer to get it chilled faster.

3/4 pound of fresh strawberries 

1/3 cup of sugar 

half of a granny smith apple 

juice of half of a lemon 

First, cut the strawberries into quarters and heat them in a sauce pan on medium high heat with the sugar. Stir it around let the strawberries break up.

 Then, add the apple and the lemon juice and heat and stir for about 10 minutes. 

Then, let it chill for an hour in the fridge. 

While the jam is chilling you move on to the cake.

3 cups of all purpose flour 

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups of sugar

2 tsp of baking soda 

1 tsp of salt

2 cups of brewed coffee 

2 tbs of white vinegar 

4 tsp of vanilla extract

12 tbs of olive oil 

 First preheat your oven to 350 and spray an 8 inch round cake pan with vegetable spray. Then, in a bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Make sure you get out all of the clumps. 

 Then, mix together the coffee, white vinegar, olive oil, and vanilla extract.

 Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Do not over mix.

 Pour half of the mixture into the cake pan. You are making two layers.

 Bake for 20 minutes of until a knife comes out clean.

 When it cools, take it out of the cake pan. Then, pour the second half of the mixture into the cake pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Place the second cake on a different plate then the first half.

On the bottom half of the cake, spread the jam all over the  top. Then place the top layer of the cake on top of the jam. 

 Next, it is time to make the icing. I chose a vanilla butter cream to top this beauty,
2 sticks of butter
3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 tbs of milk
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp of salt
First, mix the butter, powdered sugar, and salt until creamy.

 Then, add the milk and vanilla extract and beat until creamy.

 Then, ice the cake :) This can take some time because of the two layers.

 My cake was for a 21st birthday so I decorated it with chocolate chips making a "21"

 I also made chocolate covered strawberries to top it with.

Enjoy!! :)