chocolate strawberry cake

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 4 egg whites
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup strawberry syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate (such as baker's®)
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (such as philadelphia®), softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 cups whipped topping (such as cool whip®)
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1/2 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (such as oreo®) (optional)

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Ready Time: 55 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• grease and flour three round 9-inch baking pans.
• 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.
• 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.
• pour batter into prepared baking pans.
• bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• place chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl; heat on high in microwave until melted, about 1 minute. stir chocolate until smooth.
• 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.
• gently fold whipped topping, pudding mix, and chocolate sandwich cookies into cream cheese mixture to form the filling.
• 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.