Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Filling

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 8" cake pans then line the bottom with parchment paper and grease it.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Stir well and set aside.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, coffee and Grand Marnier until well combined. Add to dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Step 4

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool in pans for 20 minutes then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 5

Beat cream cheese at high speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Step 6

Continue beating while adding butter and beat until well mixed.

Step 7

Add sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon cream and beat until creamy. If too thick to spread, add the additional cream. I usually add both tablespoons.

Step 8

Cream together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla & sour cream and mix well. Stir in pureed strawberries adding just enough to keep the cheesecake batter stiff. Stir in diced strawberries for that extra pop of flavor.

Step 9

Place one cake layer on a serving dish. Pipe a line of frosting around the edge of the layer to keep the strawberry cheesecake filling from oozing out. Spread a generous layer of strawberry cheesecake filling in the center of the layer out to the frosting. Top with second layer, pipe frosting around edge, spread with strawberry cheesecake filling then top with the final layer.

Step 10

Frost sides and top of cake and decorate with piped frosting, strawberries, whole or sliced, flowers or chocolate shavings.

Step 11

Store in refrigerator.