Cooking Instructions
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) or 320 degrees F fan-forced (160 degrees C fan-forced).
2.
Grease and line 2 8-inch round cake pans.
3.
In a measuring cup, whisk
Eggland's Best Classic Eggs (2)
and
Vanilla Extract (1 tsp)
. Set aside.
4.
In a medium bowl, whisk
All-Purpose Flour (1 3/4 cups)
,
Baking Powder (1 tsp)
,
Baking Soda (1 tsp)
and
Salt (1/4 tsp)
together. Set aside.
5.
In your mixing bowl, beat
Unsalted Butter (3/4 cup)
and
Caster Sugar (1 1/3 cups)
on high speed until light and fluffy.
6.
Turn down to medium speed and drizzle in beaten egg mixture.
7.
Throw in
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (2/3 cup)
. Mix until combined.
8.
Turn your mixer down to low and drizzle in
Buttermilk (1 1/3 cups)
.
9.
Lastly, gradually add in your flour mixture.
10.
Transfer into your 2 baking pans evenly. Drop the pan to release the air bubbles out.
11.
Bake it in a preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes.
12.
Once done, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan.
13.
Slice most of the
Fresh Strawberries (3 1/3 cups)
. Keep some intact for the topping.
14.
Remove the yellow bottom of the
Chocolate Pocky (5 pckg)
biscuits.
15.
Make the chocolate buttercream: In your mixing bowl, add in
Unsalted Butter (2/3 cup)
,
Powdered Confectioners Sugar (1 1/3 cups)
,
Salt (1/2 tsp)
,
Instant Coffee (1/8 tsp)
, and
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (2/3 cup)
. Mix on low until it forms into a thick paste.
16.
Add in your
Dark Chocolate (1/2 cup)
, beat on medium-high for 3 minutes.
17.
Add in
Vanilla Extract (1 tsp)
, and continue beating. If it is too thick, add
Milk (to taste)
, 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen it out. Beat for another 3 minutes on medium-high until smooth and fluffy.
18.
Lay the first cake layer on your platter. Spread a layer of Chocolate Buttercream.
19.
Place sliced strawberries on top.
20.
Cover it with buttercream again. Place the second layer on top. Place the second layer on top.
21.
Cover the whole cake with buttercream. (You don't need to be really even as you'll be covering it with Pocky and strawberries later).
22.
Carefully layer chocolate Pocky biscuits on the side of the cake until the side is fully covered.
23.
Strain
Apricot Preserves (1 Tbsp)
with some
Water (1 Tbsp)
to make a glaze. Set aside.
24.
Top the cake with unsliced strawberries. Brush strawberries with apricot glaze, then let it cool in the fridge.
