1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan really well—chocolate cakes love to stick, so be generous or use parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure to whisk really well so there are no cocoa lumps.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. The mixture will be pretty thin—that’s normal!
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Don’t overmix—stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour anymore. The batter will be fairly thin, which is perfect.
5. Chop your strawberries into small pieces and pat them dry with paper towels. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries and chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. The batter will look thin but will bake up perfectly.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, but start checking at 28 minutes. You want a toothpick inserted in the center to come out with just a few moist crumbs—not wet batter, but definitely not dry. This cake should look slightly underdone.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes (it needs this time to firm up), then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Slice and serve plain, dust with powdered sugar, or top with chocolate ganache for extra decadence!

Nutrition Information (Per Serving):

• Calories: 380
• Carbohydrates: 54g
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 18g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sodium: 320mg
• Vitamin C: 15mg (17% DV)
• Iron: 2.5mg (14% DV)
• Potassium: 165mg (5% DV)

Dark cocoa and fresh strawberries provide antioxidants, iron, and vitamin C!

Notes:

• Don’t skip patting those strawberries dry—excess moisture creates soggy spots.
• Don’t overmix the batter—stop as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• This cake should come out looking slightly underdone—it firms up as it cools.
• Every oven runs differently, so trust your toothpick test over exact timing.
• The batter will be thin, which is correct—it makes a super moist cake.

Storage Tips:

• Keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days—it stays incredibly moist thanks to the oil.
• Individual wrapped slices freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
• Don’t refrigerate unless your kitchen is really warm—it dries out the texture.
• The strawberry flavor actually intensifies slightly as the cake sits, making day two even better.

Serving Suggestions:

• Classic Style: Dust with powdered sugar and serve with coffee
• Fancy Pants: Top with chocolate ganache and fresh strawberry slices
• Dessert Mode: Serve with vanilla ice cream or strawberry whipped cream
• Valentine’s Style: Drizzle with chocolate and top with chocolate-covered strawberries

Mix It Up (Recipe Variations):

• Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Cake: Top with rich chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries
• White Chocolate Strawberry Cake: Swap cocoa for flour and use white chocolate chips
• Strawberry Chocolate Layer Cake: Divide batter between two pans and fill with chocolate buttercream
• Strawberry Mocha Cake: Add 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder for coffee-chocolate depth

What Makes This Recipe Special:

Fresh strawberries folded right into rich chocolate batter create bright, tart pockets throughout the cake while chocolate chips add melty chocolate moments. This classic pairing—celebrated for decades around Valentine’s Day—delivers chocolate-covered strawberry luxury in every bite while staying incredibly moist thanks to the oil-based batter.