Strawberry Pomegranate Chocolate Cake

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When your son likes strawberry and your daughter likes pomegranate, and they celebrate birthday together, this is the cake you make for them – strawberry pomegranate chocolate cake.

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Here is the rundown of this cake: One bowl chocolate cake, strawberry pomegranate jam, chocolate buttercream, white chocolate ganache and the final decoration. Each part of it is totally to-die-for delicious. You would want to eat the cake crumbs, lick the buttercream and the jam and literally drink the ganache. And when everything comes together. Oh my! So epic!

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I love the fact that I don’t have to make another character cakes for my kids anymore. Instead I can focus more on the taste and decoration. I think I might re-visit this cake for Christmas!

Ingredients (one 5-inch 3-layer cake):
Strawberry Pomegranate Jam
2 cups strawberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Chocolate Cake
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
White Chocolate Ganache
50 grams white chocolate, cut into small chunks
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Garnish
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate arils

Directions:
To prepare jam, mix all ingredients in a small bowl and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool completely.
To prepare cake, preheat oven to 350F. Grease three 5-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Crack in the egg, spoon in the sour cream, and pour in the oil and the vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Pour in the boiling water, and slowly mix until smooth and liquidy.
Divide batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cakes cool completely.
Run a pairing knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper circles.
To prepare buttercream, beat butter for a few minutes in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and turn the mixer on low, beat until the sugar incorporates with the butter. Add vanilla, heavy cream and cocoa powder, beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes, or until buttercream becomes light and fluffy.
To assemble the cake, fill a pastry bag attached to a 1/2″ round tip with buttercream. Place one cake layer on your serving plate, pipe a dam around the edge of the cake layer. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the jam inside the dam. Place another cake layer on top and repeat the same process. Place the last layer of cake on top. Smear a light coating of frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
To prepare ganache, place the chocolate and heavy cream in a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
Remove cake from the refrigerator. Pour ganache over the top of the cakes. Use an offset spatula to gently push the ganache over the sides of the cake to create the dripping effect.
Decorated with fresh strawberries and pomegranate arils.
Cover and refrigerate the cake. Leave cake in room temperature for an hour before serving.

6 comments

  1. This looks delicious! Is there a way to make this cake and safely transport in 9hours of driving? Or should I premake stuff and assemble at arrival? What do you think?

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