chocolate, strawberry jam, and rose geranium cake
Here’s the bonus strawberry-inspired recipe I mentioned on my strawberry tour recap post a couple days ago. Sometimes after several posts where I’m constantly trying to one-up myself in creativity, it’s nice to go back to the basics. Sometimes all you really need is a good chocolate cake.
This is a classic devil’s food cake, made with cocoa powder and boiling water. I really like the sour cream in there as it gives the cake extra moistness, but the cake layers still bake up well formed with not too much loose crumb, so they can be layered and assembled easily. I proportioned the recipe to make a 6″ round cake instead of the standard 8″, because when I do layer cakes I like the smaller daintiness. Plus it makes it easier to get through the cake more quickly!
To give this cake a summer feel, I spread the layers with some strawberry jam (or you can even make a coulis with fresh strawberries, which would really be taking advantage of the season). I also have a rose geranium plant that’s been filling our place with its lush, sweet fragrance, so I was inspired to put some of that into the buttercream. I’ve seen recipes where rose geranium leaves are torn up and mixed into the rest of the ingredients, similar to what you do with herbs in savory recipes. I used that technique by rubbing the rose geranium leaves into the sugar for the buttercream, but I found that the flavor wasn’t as intense as I wanted, even after letting the sugar “steep” for a couple days. In the end I added some rose geranium oil to get the flavor as strong as I wanted. You can try either technique and see which one works best for you: rose geranium plants can be found at many nurseries (be sure the leaves are unsprayed), or rose geranium oil is found at many health food stores.
The rose and strawberry give a lovely, summer teatime vibe to the cake and help cut the richness of the chocolate. And I love the dark and light contrast between the cake and the frosting.
Additionally, as a parting gift from the California Strawberries Commission I have this adorable strawberry teapot to give away to one lucky reader! Perfect for teatime with some cake.
You can also see it here.
Just leave a comment on this post by Friday, August 8. I’ll announce the winner on Monday August 11th.
As a side note, I have the winners of the Godiva giveaway, but I think it’s more appropriate with my Godiva recap post I’ll be putting up tomorrow. Please check back and I’ll have the winners up!
Good luck! and thanks again to the California Strawberries Commission for a great time.
I was provided this prize by the California Strawberries Commission. All opinions in this post are my own.
Devil's Food Cake
- .8 oz (188 g) boiling water
- 3/4 cup (65 g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (62 g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (55 g) cake flour
- 2/3 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 1/2 oz (156 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Rose Geranamium Buttercream
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- 15 ounces (425 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-in pieces
- 1 tablespoon rose geranium oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- food coloring as desired
- about 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (3) 6" round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Whisk the water and the cocoa powder together in a small bowl and set aside. Stir the flours, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine butter and sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until combined.
- Add in the sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add in the dry mixture and cocoa mixture in five additions, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Beat just until combined.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks before unmolding.
For the buttercream:
- Combine the sugar and egg whites in a medium metal bowl and place over a pan of simmering water.
- Whisk the sugar mixture constantly over heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and shiny. Continue whisking until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
- Remove mixture from heat and pour into a stand mixer bowl. Whisk on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture has cooled.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and with the speed on low, add the butter a few pieces at a time, beating until smooth. Do not add the butter too quickly or beat too quickly or the buttercream may break.
- When all the butter has been added, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed for about 6-10 minutes until it is very thick and smooth. It may appear to separate briefly but continue beating and it should come back together.
- Add in rose geranium oil and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add in food coloring as desired.
- The buttercream is ready to be used. Place a piece of plastic wrap against the surface until you are ready to use it to prevent it from drying out.
- To assemble the cake, level the cake layers as needed. Place one layer on a cake round or stand. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1/2" star tip with the frosting.
- Spread a thin layer of strawberry on top of the cake layer. Pipe frosting in a circle around the edge of the cake layer, and then continue to pipe and fill in completely with frosting. Place another layer on top and repeat the process. You can frost the top of the cake with just the frosting.
Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, baby girl, and rescue cockapoo Snickerdoodle. 
What an adorable cake!
Cute teapot! Reminds me of those yummy strawberry jell filled hard candy with the strawberry wrappers.
Sounds so yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe. My little girls and I love all things strawberry, edible and decorative. If we win this cute teapot we’d have plenty of tea time moments together along with this dainty cake.
This cake is gorgeous! And sounds like such a delight…love it!
the strawberry-rose-chocolate combination sounds delicious!
The cake looks beautiful and the teapot is perfect for a summer strawberry tea party.
Love how the cake looks–rich and delicate at the same time. I will save the recipe for the fall when I dare to turn on the oven
I might just need to make this cake since it was my friend’s birthday recently. Thank you for the giveaway and the lovely recipe ~
I’ve been enjoying your blog since I discovered you! Love the sound of ‘rose geranium’ and will have to find one!
Love the teapot, and I have a strawberry vanilla tea that would be perfect in it! 🙂
What an adorable teapot! I would love that cake right now. It looks so delicious.
This teapot is so cute! Love the cake too!
The cake is stunning! I’d love to win the teapot. It’s simply adorable.
Thank you for the recipe. I’m baking a cake for my sister’s upcoming birthday and I think this will be it. Thanks for the giveaway as well.
It’s so cute!
Thanks for the oppurtunity!
Strawberries are my favorite summer fruit!! I wrote a strawberry haiku! 😀
Strawberries so juicy
Makes my taste buds go beep beep
Oh sweet strawberry
I may have to make this cake! I have a 7 year old who is crazy about strawberries!
Fantastique!!!
The tea pot is cute!
I will have to try your recipe! Looks very yummy!
I sooo want the tea pot now….lol
This cake sure looks delish!
The cake looks so yummy. I love strawberries.
Cute cake!
Where do you buy the Rose Geranium Oil?
Gorgeous cake and adorable teapot! Love them both. 😉
This sounds define. Any suggestions for a substitute if I can’t find rose geranium oil?