Chocolate strawberry cake

This by far is my favorite cake to eat. I love chocolate covered strawberries. I  think they are magnificent. I first made this cake for my Dad for Father's Day 3 years ago and ever since I make it 2 or 3 times a year for special friends for their birthdays. This year I wanted to make it for a lady who works at Joanns who sold me my viking embroidery machine last April. I have had to go back to see her multiple times with different machine problems and she has faithfully and kindly worked with me every time through my exasperation. After  8 months of revisiting her the machine is working well. I thought about sewing her something with my machine as a christmas gift, but then thought of this cake knowing she likes chocolate. It is fairly simple to make and when using the piroulines on the side of the cake it is a great cover up for messy or failed frosting.

• 1   10 inch cake board covered in fanci foil
• 1     8 thin cake board
• Turntable
• Angled spatula for frosting
• Red ribbon 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

• 1 quart strawberries, washed and dried
• 1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 T coconut oil 
• Toothpicks
• Wax paper

1. Wash and dry strawberries. Pierce each strawberry from the top with a toothpick and set aside
2. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper
3. Fill bottom of double boiler halfway with water. Bring to a simmering boil.  Turn down to medium heat.
4. Melt chocolate and coconut oil on the top layer of  double boiler. 
5. Stir constantly until all the chips melt and the chocolate is smooth
6. Transfer chocolate to a  coffee mug
7. Quickly dip each strawberry halfway into the chocolate. Gently rotate the strawberry allowing the access chocolate to dribble off back into the mug. 
8. Place dipped strawberry onto cookie sheet. Repeat for all strawberries. 
9. If chocolate starts to stiffen up return to double boiler to smooth again being careful not to burn it. Constantly stir the chocolate to keep it from sticking and clumping.
10. When all strawberries are dipped you can either put them in the fridge or the freezer until ready to place on top of cake right before eating. If you leave the strawberries on top of the cake too long they will start to ooze on the cake.

One bowl buttercream chocolate frosting

• 6 T butter softened
• 2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 c Hersheys cocoa
• 1/3 c milk
• 1 t vanilla extract

1. Beat butter in medium bowl.
2. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk. Beat until smooth for spreading
3. Stir in vanilla.
4. Makes about 2 cups of frosting

For the Cake

2 chocolate cake box mix
3 boxes piroulines
3    8" round cake pans

•  Using 3 8 inch round pans, bake cake according to box directions.
•  Cool cakes on wire racks for 10 minutes before removing from pans.. When cakes have completely cooled down, level the cakes if they are uneven.

Assembling the Cake

•  Place a  10 inch  covered cake board on cake turntable for easy frosting.Spread a little frosting on the 8 inch cake board and center on top of 10 inch cake board. Place bottom layer of cake on top of 8 inch cake board.. Frost the top of the bottom layer. Center next layer on top of that and repeat with frosting on top. Repeat again with final layer of cake making sure the bottom of the layer in on top for a nice smooth finish. 
•  Frost entire cake. 
• Open up packages of piroulines. Measure one pirouline by standing by the side of the cake and making sure it is about a half inch higher than the cake. Using a knife gently saw off  unwanted length being careful not to crush the pirouline.  At this point you can cut all the piroulines the same length or do them one by one. Place the first pirouline against the frosting on the side of the cake. The frosting will help the piroulines stick and stay to the cake. Place the second pirouline right next to it. Continue around cake until meeting back at starting point.
• Cut a ribbon long enough to go around cake and enough to tie a pretty bow. I used a red organza ribbon. The ribbon will help the piroulines stay in place and not shift when moving the cake.

When ready to present cake and serve cake

• Place strawberries around the cake on silver cake board.
• Using wax paper, cut a circle a little smaller than the circumference of the cake
• Place the wax paper carefully on top of cake.
• Place the remainder of the strawberries on top of the cake.