It’s not often that friends become family.
But when the friends are super special – it DOES happen.
And family time often means celebration (very often, in our case). And celebration sometimes means birthdays. And birthdays mean dark chocolate cake – Dark Chocolate Strawberry Jam Cake, to be exact.

And, of course, chocolate, chocolate ice cream!

Never too much chocolate.

Happy Birthday, dear Jenna! Thanks for letting us celebrate with you!

Dark Chocolate Strawberry Jam Cake

Dark Chocolate Cake:
2 cups sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1½ tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans.
Stir together all dry ingredients to a large bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to a wire racks and let to cool completely.

Quick Strawberry Jam (recipe here)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup salted butter, room temperature (2 full sticks)
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter until soft. Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and continue mixing. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Place first layer of cake on cake plate. Spread about ½ cup of frosting on top in an even layer.
Then top with a thick layer of jam.
Add the second layer of cake on top and frost the outside of the cake.