Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F and heavily grease two 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans, and set them aside. Your oven must be properly preheated for your cake to bake properly.

Step 2

In a bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric handheld mixer combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Once fully combined for 30-60 seconds add the softened butter in chunks and mix until incorporated and the mixture becomes like wet sand.

Step 3

In a bowl combine the buttermilk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract then add to dry ingredients and mix for 60 seconds, you want to really incorporate everything to make sure the batter builds structure. Add in the eggs and mix for an additional 45-60 seconds, there should be no trace of egg left. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Step 4

In a clean bowl take a heaping cup of cake batter and add the melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and buttermilk. Mix until just combined, there should be no white cake batter anymore.

Step 5

In a separate clean bowl take another heaping cup of cake batter and add the strawberry extract, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and buttermilk. Mix until just combined, there should be no white cake batter anymore.

Step 6

Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the prepared pans, alternating between colors, dividing the batter evenly among the two pans. Quickly and gently place the pans in the oven and do not open the oven door until the 25-minute mark. Do this very quickly and don't close the door too abruptly. Your cakes should be done baking in the 28-33 minutes mark for 8-inch cakes and 27-32 minutes for 9-inch cakes. If you press a toothpick into the center it should come out with no wet batter, or you can gently press the top center of the cake and it should bounce bake immediately, the sides of the cake will be coming away from the edges of the pan. Set on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before inverting onto the wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7

Once completely cooled frost with your favorite frosting recipe. I place pieces of parchment paper on the serving cake plate and place the first cake layer on top. The parchment or wax paper pieces should only be one to two inches thick so you can easily pull them out front under the cake when done frosting. This helps create a cleaner serving plate. I use a small angled spatula to spread an even layer of frosting onto the first cake layer then top with the second cake layer upside down to create a flatter top surface. Make sure to get down and look at the cake at eye level to see if it is level or not, and adjust as necessary. Add a thin layer of frosting around the whole cake to create a crumb coat, then place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes to set it.

Step 8

Then frost with the remaining frosting. In a small bowl combine the vanilla extract and cocoa powder and use a clean brush to flick specks onto the cake. Flick some of the cocoa mixtures first on to a paper towel to practice first.  Gently remove the parchment paper pieces. Top the cake with your favorite Easter candies. Store the cake in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, if the frosting is okay at room temperature, or store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.