Chocolate Strawberry Cake

This sweet cake has a rich chocolate filling between three layers of strawberry cake.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 537 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup milk
• ¾ cup shortening
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 2 ¼ cups white sugar
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (such as Philadelphia®), softened
• ¾ cup strawberry syrup
• 2 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate (such as Baker's®)
• 2 ½ cups whipped topping (such as Cool Whip®)
• ½ cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®) (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Grease and flour three round 9-inch baking pans.

Step 3

Sift flour, 2 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl; cut shortening into flour mixture until fine crumbs are formed.

Step 4

Beat egg whites, milk, strawberry syrup, and vanilla extract into flour mixture with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute; increase to high until smooth and blended, about 2 more minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Step 5

Pour batter into prepared baking pans.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Step 7

Place chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl; heat on High in microwave until melted, about 1 minute. Stir chocolate until smooth.

Step 8

Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on High until combined, 1 minute; stir chocolate into mixture until well mixed.

Step 9

Gently fold whipped topping, pudding mix, and chocolate sandwich cookies into cream cheese mixture to form the filling.

Step 10

Spread about 1/3 filling on top of one cake. Place second cake atop filling layer. Repeat with a filling layer, the third cake, and a final layer of filling on top.