It’s simple really – I like cake. As a result I do a lot of cakes here, so here’s another for us all to enjoy—strawberry tuxedo cake. This might exist somewhere either under this name or another, but I haven’t Google’d it. For now, I want the vision of this cake as is—as it appears bumping around in my not-so-little head.
It’s true, I’m shaped like a bobble head figure, so to compound that, my genetic computation decided to compliment that with a a pair of T-Rex arms. If you’ve seen me, or when you do, take a close look—it’s true and it’s funny, so please hold all comments saying I have a warped body perception. I’m quite happy and amused by my one-of-a-kind body.
I know—I’ve gone off topic again. I do that more often than I probably should, but then again, that would require—me or you, to define “should”. And that would be no fun, since I certainly don’t want this space crowded with “should-s” and shouldn’t-s”.
So without a proper segway—what is the topic for today? The photographed dessert—a mix of some my favorite go-to recipes assembled to make a Strawberry Tuxedo Cake. The white cake portion is from here. The chocolate cake recipe is from here.The vanilla swiss meringue buttercream frosting is from here. And small note, this is a big cake. To make it like the picture, follow the instructions and cut the almost-fully-assembled cake in half for two loaf shape cakes. (I did so to save time by making one cake and turning it into two cakes for two separate occasions.) Along with that, you’ll see one layer is missing—that’s what happens when your having wine while cutting cake layers—one white layer became wine stained after I knocked it over with my elbow.

Strawberry Tuxedo Cake
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- White cake
- 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
- 4 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising) plus more for pans
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 9 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- Chocolate cake
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- Ganache frosting
- 10oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup of cream
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Swiss meringue buttercream frosting
- 7 large egg whites
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 6 sticks unsalted butter, sliced and softened
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 pound of strawberries
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS:
To make white cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9 inch square cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter paper. Dust the pans with flour; tap out extra.
- Place milk, egg whites, extracts and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. While the machine is still running, gradually add the sugar. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
- Add in one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the milk mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined. Add remaining flour and milk mixtures in 2 separate batches beating between additions until fully combined. Scrape down sides of bowl, and stir by hand to finish.
- Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth surface with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Run a small metal spatula along edge of cake, invert cake and discard paper. Cool completely on rack, top side up.
To make chocolate cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9 inch square cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter paper. Dust the pans with cocoa; tap out extra.
- Sift cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar into bowl. Beat in oil, buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, and hot water one at a time, using a mixer set at low. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, rotating the pans half way through. Cake is ready when cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 20 minutes, before inverting to remove. Discard paper. Cool completely on racks, top side up.
To make ganache frosting:
- Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Pour boiling cream over chocolate. Gently stir until chocolate is completely melted and shiny, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool and thicken about 1-1 1/2 hours.
To make Swiss meringue buttercream:
- Combine egg whites and sugar in a stand mixer bowl and place it over (not on) simmering water. Heat mixture to 160 degrees F while whisking constantly.
- Transfer mixer bowl to stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium high speed (speed 8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer) until mixture cools, doubles in volume and forms stiff peaks; about 10-12 minutes.
- Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking at first—this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again.
- Add salt and flavoring, mix to combine.
Assembly
- Line knife parallel to bottom of cake and cut cake in half horizontally. Place white cake layer down on cake board. Using an offset spatula spread ganache on top. Using a second offset spatula spread buttercream on top. Next place sliced strawberries on top. Then stack one chocolate layer on top of strawberries.
- Repeat step 1 two more times.
- Frost perimeter and top of cake with remaining buttercream. Flash freeze cake for 30 minutes (this will prevent the buttercream from melting for the next step).
- Slowly reheat ganache, then pour warm ganache on top of cake. Cover top of cake with quartered strawberries.
Notes
A few notes:
Of course this is a multi-step cake, so save yourself some craziness and avoid making everything in one day:
- Make the frosting up to a week in advance (keep refrigerated until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before frosting).
- The cakes can be made two days in advance and kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
- The recipe makes a large one level cake. Alternately, you can trim down one white and one chocolate cake to 6 inches squares for a two tier cake.. To assemble the cake as seen in the picture (loaf shape) cut cake in half after step 2 of the instructions, then follow remaining instructions.
The cake is just gorgeous, Naomi! And I love the name! And it’s the best of all cakes and flavors, all rolled into one!
Enhorabuena por tu delicioso pastel, magnífico, una preciosidad!!!
The cake is a stunner!! Lovely photography! Fabulous job!
Gorgeous cake! It wouldn’t take very long for it to disappear in our house 🙂
My husband’s birthday is this weekend, so I have the perfect excuse to indulge in creating this wonderfully masculine named cake.
Gorgeous cake, food styling and photography, Namoi! Love the drippy Chocolate Ganache. So stark with the contrasts and pretty!
I’m simply in love with this cake, Naomi. Gorgeous, beautiful, and perfect! I wish I can taste it. 🙂
I made a tuxedo cake once, but this looks absolutely fabulous! Gorgeous cake and photos, as always!
Lovely cake! I am tempted to run to kitchen right now and make this. I just wanted to check if there really are 8 sticks of butter in the swiss meringue, or just 1 stick (8 tablespoons). Thanks for sharing your creation.
This is love! !!
Such beautiful and Gorgeous cake Naomi…
Just gorgeous! The chocolate dripping down the side is perfect and also calling my name. I love all these layers!
Sharlotte-thanks for asking, because no it’s not 8 sticks but 6 sticks. Yes, 6 because this is a big cake. To make it like the picture follow the instructions and cut it in half to a loaf shape. I did so, to save time by making one cake and turning it into two cakes for two separate occasions.
Absolutely stunning! The chocolate drips on the side – mesmerizing!!
I’m like one of Pavlov’s dogs – salivating all over the place. Looks amazing!!
I so want a slice of that right now! Amazing!
Just beautiful!!! Love this – and your pictures!!!
Wow…this is absolutely gorgeous!
This is gorgeous. I can’t wait to try.
I love your blog.
When you say 9″ pans, do you mean square or circle? I always assume circle, but you mention cutting it in half to get a loaf shape so I’m thinking you mean square.
This looks beautiful, planning on trying it this weekend.
I am loving the strawberries on top and the ganache dripping down the sides. Gorgeous.
Kandyce – Yes, square pans. If you don’t have any, you can just use round pans.
This cake looks divine!!
you are not kidding with this cake. It is such a gorgeous looking cake. I would pick all the hard chocolate even before cutting into your stunning cake.
OH EM GEEE – this cake is stunning! I just love how neat and tidy it looks, plus all of the flavors going on. Just AMAZING!
Simply gorgeous!
Wow that is striking! And I bet it tastes just as good 🙂
This looks so perfect! I love everything about it. Cake, strawberries, chocolate, ganache. I really love the layers in the cake too. So gorgeous!
I like cake too! All of them. Never met one I didnt like 🙂
So heavenly gorgeous! My mouth is watering 😛
Ooooh, I like cake too! Especially this one – it looks totally amazing! Gorgeous photos too!!
Such a beauty, I love the layers and fresh strawberry topper!
Such and elegant and beautiful cake girl!
I love this! Looks so darling and delicious….
I am in love with this cake, and i don’t even like cake. The chocolate on top seals the deal for me
How gorgeous is this?! It’s almost TOO pretty to eat!
This cake is absolutely gorgeous!
Wow, stunning! I love Swiss meringue buttercream!!!
This is beautiful!!
Looks kind of perfect to me! FAB!
This is the most gorgeous cake ever, Naomi! Lovely recipe!
What a stunner Naomi!! Gorgeous!!
Well done. I love that strawberry topping!
I LOVE a big cake!! Gorgeous like always!
Beautiful cake, beautiful photography Naomi! And I love the name.
WOW!!! What an amazing cake!
My oh my! When is your book coming out?! Such gorgeousness!
Absolutely gorgeous. I can’t wait to try it.
Wow, this cake is gorgeous!
A cake for a special occasion. Love all the layers–would be perfect for my husband’s birthday in September.
Hi there! I run a food blog called Floptimism, and every Saturday I write a round-up of all of the amazing recipes, pictures, ideas, inspiration, etc. I’ve found on the web over the past week. I wanted to let you know that I loved the photography from this post so much that I featured it in this week’s round-up. I’ve included the link to the post in case you’re interested in checking it out. Either way, thank you for such a gorgeous creation! Have a great weekend!
http://floptimism.blogspot.com/2013/07/weekend-wrap-up-progress.html
This cake is absolutely beautiful! Strawberry and chocolate yum!
This is so stunning! Wowza!
what a beautiful cake, I have a question though: the picture looks like 2 layers of chocolate and 1 layer of white cake but the recipe looks like it would have 4 layers 2 chocolate and 2 white, am I missing something?
I’m laughing. Not at you but because my kids always quote the t-rex from Meet The Robinsons “I’ve got a big head and little arms” as they do this awkward zombieish t-rex walk. Regardless to your arms and head size. You make some ridiculously gorgeous desserts. I wish I had the ambition to make this right now.
Absolutely stunning cake!
This is a very “sexy” looking dessert.
Rosa I thought the same…what are we to do with the 2nd white cake layer?
Or maybe just leave it out and let the kids eat it 🙂
Hi Rosa and Cindy – It’s only missing from the picture because I knocked over my wine glass while cutting it in half. Which of course rendered it useless for this layered cake, but perfectly fine for consumption (a happy accident that may turn into a recipe).
Regardless of whether or not the bit about T-rex arms is true, it is a truth universally acknowledged that everyone likes T-rexes. And especially T-rexes with T-rex arms. And maybe Tuxedo cake. Yum!
DEAR GOD
Oooh.. I have no words… This is just gorgeous! Can’t wait for a reason to make it!
What an outstanding cake!! I just had a minor question, which may or may not be a really dumb question. You said you prepared two square cake pans for the white cake and also two square cake pans for the chocolate, and then divided the batter equally when you were making each one. If that was done, then upon cutting the layers in half to start assembly, wouldn’t you have 4 layers of each flavor? Resulting in an 8 layer cake? I am just confused as to what happens to the second cake of each flavor. I am sorry if I am missing something basic! Thanks for the beautiful inspiration!
Hi! I have a question about the ganache. Where the ingredients are listed, i tsays @ tablespoons of butter. However, the directions do not say anything about it.
Thank you!
If you googled it you would see my tuxedo cake -looks very similar
So will this recipe make two of the loaf shaped cakes?
I so love all of your recipes! This cake looks lovely! 🙂
Is 6 sticks of butter the correct amount in the buttercream or should it be 6 TBS? Has anyone made this?
I just saw this on Pinterest and my jaw literally hit the kitchen counter…Totally puts the banana bread in my oven right now to shame.
Beautiful,Naomi! And I love the commentary…you are so genuine!
I noticed that you have different recipes for chocolate cake like this recipe and “best chcolate cake”. How do you decide which recipe to use. Thanks
Hi Naomi, I have a question…..I am staying with my cousin right now waiting to move into our new house and I don’t have my KitchenAid with me. I’m gonna need to use a regular hand mixer. How would you suggest making the frosting without having a handle to the hold bowl “over” the hot water.. Also I don’t have the paddle attachment for mixing the white cake batter…..I’m pretty sure I can wing that one but the bowl issue I’m kinda stumped. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Darb
RE: Strawberry Tuxedo Cake
The cake looks marvelous! I just want to make sure I understand the size cake that it makes, if you do not cut any of the layers—this would make one, 4-layer, 9-inch cake, right?
Thanks very much!
Ali
What a fantastic recipe! Halved it for one 3-layer loaf cake with a layer of white left ove and used coconut extract in the frosting, and it turned out wonderfully. Definitely saving this for future use!