Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake

If you are still in need of a Valentine's Day dessert for tomorrow, here is a quick and delicious solution for you!  Start with a chocolate boxed cake mix, add some strawberry cream cheese and strawberry jam, and finish it off with vanilla frosting!  Voila!  A simple and delicious dessert.  Well, there are a few more steps involved.  You have to make the cake...and fill the layers with cream cheese and jam, then frost the whole thing, but it is so worth it!  


Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake


Cake:

1 box dark chocolate cake mix

1 (4 serving) box instant chocolate pudding (I used sugar free-fat free)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Filling:

1 8 ounce tub strawberry cream cheese

1/2 cup strawberry preserves

Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon french vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

Valentine's Candy Corn (for decorating)

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease 2 9 inch round cake pans.

For the cake, in a large bowl, combine the cake mix, chocolate pudding, sour cream, oil, eggs, and milk.  Beat together until well combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.  Smooth the tops.  Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, being careful not to overbake.  When a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs, the cake is done.  Let cool in pans for about 10 to 15 minutes, then remove cakes from pans and cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the frosting, combine the butter, shortening, vanilla extract, and french vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat together until well blended.  Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, until it has all been added.  Add the milk and beat until the frosting is smooth an fluffy.

To assemble the cake, trim the domes off of the top of the cakes, if necessary.  Place 1 cake layer upside down on a serving plate.  Spread the cream cheese over the cake.  Spread the strawberry preserves over the cream cheese layer, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the edge (you don't want the filling to squeeze out the sides).  Place the 2nd cake layer upside down on top of the filling.  Frost the tops and sides of the cake with the vanilla frosting.  Decorate the cake with the candy corn.  Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy