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For the cake
Unsalted butter, to grease
- 175 g
good quality cocoa powder, sifted, plus extra to dust
- 350 g
plain flour
- 500 g
granulated sugar
- 1 tsp.
bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp.
baking powder
- 100 ml
vegetable oil
- 300 ml
soured cream
- 350 ml
hot strong coffee
- 6
medium eggs, beaten
- 1 Tbsp.
vanilla extract
For the drip
- 75 g
dark chocolate, chopped
- 50 g
unsalted butter
- Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease sides of 2 x 20.5cm (8in) round cake tins with butter, then dust sides with cocoa powder (tap out excess). Line bases with baking parchment.
- Step 2For the cake, in a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and a large pinch of fine salt. In a separate jug, mix the oil, soured cream, coffee, eggs and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl and whisk to combine.
- Step 3Divide mixture evenly between the cake tins and bake for 50-55min, until a skewer inserted into centre of the cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in the tins for 5min, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 4For the buttercream, roughly chop the strawberries and whizz to a purée. Set aside. Using a freestanding mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld electric whisk and a large bowl), beat the butter to soften. Sift in half the icing sugar and slowly beat to combine. Sift in the remaining icing sugar, add strawberry purée and beat slowly to combine. Turn up the speed and beat for 30sec until light and fluffy.
- Step 5Trim cakes to level, if needed. Slice each cake in half horizontally. Sandwich all 4 layers together using roughly half the buttercream. Next, spread a scant layer of buttercream over top and sides of cake. Chill for 20min. Transfer to a cake stand or board.
- Step 6Neatly spread over the remaining buttercream. Chill again for 20min. Meanwhile, make the drip. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until melted. Cool for 5min.
- Step 7Pour the drip over the chilled iced cake, encouraging it to drip down the sides. Allow to set for 15min before decorating with whole strawberries. Serve in slices.
Get ahead Make cakes up to a day ahead. Once cool, wrap in clingfilm and store at room temperature. Make buttercream up to a day ahead. Cover and chill. To assemble, allow buttercream to come up to room temperature, beating to recombine if needed.
To store Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Per serving:
- Calories: 630
- Protein: 7g
- Fat: 30g
- Sat fat: 16g
- Carbs: 83g
- Sugars: 68g
- Fibre: 3g
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
