Chocolate-strawberry naked cake

Step 1/6

• 2 eggs
• 120 ml vegetable oil
• 240 ml whole milk
• 240 ml water (hot)
• vegetable oil (for greasing)
• unsweetened cocoa powder (for dusting)

• oven
• whisk
• parchment paper
• 3 baking pans
• 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

• 250 g flour
• 65 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 350 g sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• vanilla sugar

• large bowl
• whisk

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

• 225 g butter
• 375 g confectioner’s sugar
• vanilla sugar
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 120 g strawberries

• rubber spatula
• 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.