Strawberry, Grand Marnier chocolate cake

The hardest part of the quarantine for me is having no reason to get up in the morning.  Well last night I dreamed of that cake so today I woke up on the mission of making it.

Strawberry, GrandMarnier chocolate cake

Or my mission cake

1 3/4 cups                                                   Sugar

2                                                                   Eggs

1 cup                                                           Milk of choice

1/2 cup                                                        Light olive oil

2 teaspoons                                                Vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons                                         Baking powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons                                         Baking soda

1 3/4 cups                                                   Sifted whole wheat flour

1/2 cup                                                        Dark cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon                                              Salt

1 little more than 1 cup                          Boiling water

1 lbs.                                                           Sliced strawberries 

1                                                                   Orange

1/4 cup                                                        Grand Marnier

1/4 cup                                                        Orange, pineapple juice

1 3/4 cups                                                   Whipping cream

1 teaspoon                                                 Vanilla

Zest                                                              Of one orange

Dark chocolate shaving to decorate.

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.(175°C.)

In a big bowl, mix the 1 3/4 cups of sugar with the two eggs, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 1 cup of milk.  Sift the 1 3/4 cups of flour with the 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, the 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, the 1/2 cup of cacao powder and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Mix well and add a little more than 1 cup of boiling water.

Bake for 40 minutes or until  a toothpick comes out clean. 

If you are using the same bowl for the cake batter and whipping the cream, wash it and put it in the fridge with the beaters.

Filling

Pour 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier and 1/4 cup of pineapple, orange juice over the sliced strawberries, 2 round slices of orange and the remaining orange peeled and cut in small pieces.

Let macerate 15 minutes then drain.

Frosting

Whip together the 1 3/4 cups of whipping cream, the zest and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  You don't need sugar.

Assembling

Let the cakes cool 20 minutes before taking them out of the pans then completely.

Put the first one on a platter, upside down, pour a little less than half of the Grand Marnier mixture and spread the fruits evenly.  Reserve the 16 prettiest strawberry slices and the 2 round orange slices for decoration. 

Spread a layer of whipped cream.

Top with the second cake, upside up.

Pour evenly the remaining Grand Marnier mixture.

Spread the whipped cream all around.  Arrange the strawberry slices evenly on the side.  Cut the 2 orange slices in 4 and put them on top by the edge.  Sprinkle chocolate shavings in the middle.

Enjoy!