Strawberry Nutella Chocolate Fudge Cake: The Chemistry of Crumb Structure and Ganache Glazes

Preheat your oven to $175^\circ\text{C}$ ($350^\circ\text{F}$). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bases with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until completely uniform and free of compact flour lumps.

Add the eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and Nutella directly to the dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer or a sturdy whisk on medium speed until the ingredients fuse into a thick, uniform, and aromatic chocolate batter.

Slowly pour the hot brewed coffee or boiling water into the thick batter while stirring continuously. The mixture will thin out significantly into a smooth, highly pourable, and glossy liquid. Divide this batter equally between the two prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the core comes out clean. Allow them to cool entirely on a wire rack.

Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it reaches a bare simmer (~$80^\circ\text{C}$). Pour the hot cream over your chopped semi-sweet chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to melt the cocoa butter. Stir smoothly outward from the center to emulsify, then stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter for a glossy sheen.

Place the first cooled cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of ganache over it. Top with the second cake layer. Pour the remaining warm ganache over the top and smooth the sides with an offset spatula, letting the excess drip down the edges. Press the chocolate wafer bars upright around the perimeter, arrange the fresh strawberries on top, dust with chocolate curls, and slide f-l-frigo (into the fridge) for 30 minutes to set the structure before slicing.