Chocolate and Strawberry Cake – Căpșunică
Tray bake dessert with a moist cocoa sponge, slightly dense and tender, layered with a smooth mascarpone cream, fresh strawberries, and a glossy chocolate glaze.
Chocolate and Strawberry Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: EuropeanDifficulty: Medium21
servings5
hours30
minutes380
kcal5
hours30
minutesChocolate and strawberry cake is one of those simple yet always appreciated desserts, perfect for moments when you want something sweet, creamy, and easy to make at home. “Căpșunică” is a recipe created exactly to my taste, because I wanted a chocolate dessert that still felt fresh and light thanks to the strawberries.
It’s a tray bake made with a moist cocoa sponge, slightly dense and tender, layered with a smooth mascarpone and strawberry cream, then finished with a generous chocolate glaze that brings everything together into a rich yet balanced dessert.
For baking, I used the Cooking by Heinner – Origini Chef Nicolai Tand baking tray (39×26×8.5 cm), perfect for layered tray desserts.
If you are looking for a tray bake that is simple to prepare but still delivers an impressive result, “Căpșunică” is the perfect choice.
Ingredients
- Cocoa sponge (tray 39×26×8.5 cm)
6 eggs
180 g sugar
120 ml oil
180 ml milk
200 g flour
50 g cocoa powder
10 g baking powder
vanilla
pinch of salt
- Syrup
150–200 ml milk
2 tbsp sugar
vanilla
- Mascarpone and strawberry cream
500 g mascarpone
400 ml heavy cream
80 g powdered sugar
vanilla
150 g strawberries, cut into small cubes
120–150 g strawberry or berry purée
7 g gelatin + 35 ml water
- Chocolate glaze
300 g chocolate
150–180 ml heavy cream
Preparation method
- Although the ingredient list may seem a little longer, most of them are basic ingredients, and the final result is absolutely worth it.
Out of strawberry season, the strawberries can easily be replaced with other berries such as raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries, or with your favorite fruits. The important part is keeping a nice balance between the sweetness of the cream and the freshness of the fruit.
- Cocoa sponge
Beat the eggs together with the sugar until they become light in color and slightly foamy. Then add the oil, milk, and vanilla, mixing until the mixture is fully combined.
Sift the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gradually incorporate them into the wet mixture, stirring gently just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and gently level the surface. Bake at 170°C for 25–30 minutes. The sponge is ready when it passes the toothpick test and remains slightly moist in the center. Allow it to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
- Mascarpone and strawberry cream
In a large bowl, whip the cold heavy cream together with the mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla until you obtain a smooth, stable, and airy cream.
Then start adding the strawberry purée gradually, in several stages, gently folding it in with a spatula using slow, upward movements to preserve the light and airy texture of the cream. - Separately, prepare the fresh strawberries by cutting them into small cubes and gently fold them into the cream, mixing carefully so they are evenly distributed without crushing the fruit.
Finally, incorporate the hydrated gelatin, prepared according to the instructions, and gently mix until fully combined and smooth. - Assembly
Take the cooled sponge and lightly brush it with syrup, without soaking it completely—just enough to make it tender and moist. Spread the mascarpone and strawberry cream evenly over the sponge and smooth the surface nicely. Place the cake in the refrigerator and let it chill for at least two hours before adding the glaze. - Chocolate glaze
Melt the chocolate together with the heavy cream until you obtain a smooth, glossy, and fluid mixture. Let it cool for a few minutes, then pour it over the cream layer.
Place the cake back in the refrigerator and let it set again, ideally overnight. - For decoration, I chose a fine chocolate drizzle lattice and whole fresh strawberries, which perfectly complement the cocoa and fruit combination and give the dessert an elegant look without much effort.
Store the cake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3–4 days. Over time, the sponge becomes even more tender and the flavors blend together even better. For the best taste and perfect texture, I recommend serving it chilled. - “Căpșunică” is the kind of cake that perfectly combines the intense flavor of cocoa and chocolate with the freshness of strawberries. Although it has several layers and requires some time for chilling and assembly, every step is well worth the final result.
