Strawberry-Chocolate Layer Cake

by Rudy Wright

This is a really moist chocolate strawberry layer cake: eat at your own risk. It takes some time and juggling but it is totally worth it.

Prep Time:    15 min.
Cook Time:  50 min.
Cooling Time: 10 min.

   Ingredients:
Dry:
   1/2 C. Powdered Cocoa
   2 C. Flour
   1 tsp. Baking Soda
   1/2 tsp. Salt
Wet:
   2 C. Sugar
   1 C. Vegetable Oil
   1 C. Buttermilk
   1 Egg
   1 tsp. Vanilla
   1 C. Hot Water

8 oz. Package Cool Whip or Whipped Cream
3+ C. Strawberries, sliced
1 C. Extra Water
30 Charcoal Briquettes (10 bottom, 20 top)

Heat your dutch oven as quickly as possible to get the both cups of water almost boiling. To heat the water you can place more briquettes on the bottom until you need them on top to bake the cake.

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately. Scoop out a cup of the hot water for the wet mixture, then mix all ingredients together. The mixture should be fluffy. Leave the other cup of water in the oven and cover it to retain the heat. Lightly grease two 9" circular baking pans (about 1.5" deep) and split the mixture evenly between the two pans. Place rocks or metal nuts in the oven to suspend the baking pans over the hot water. Place one baking pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check with a knife or toothpick to see if it is done. Repeat the baking process for the second pan. (Alternatively, both pans can be baked simultaneously if the second pan can be suspended above the first pan, ensure that there is air flow between the two mixtures and that the top pan is not too close to the lid.) The water will moderate the heat in the oven and keep the cakes moist. You may need gloves or hot pads to remove the pans from the dutch oven.

As the cakes each come out of the oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes and gently remove them from their pans by flipping them over. Spread a layer of whipped cream and strawberries over the first layer before stacking the second layer on top. More whipped cream and strawberries on the top layer. Slice and serve.