Description
A delightful homemade strawberry cake featuring a light strawberry-infused batter and a creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations and strawberry lovers, this cake combines fresh strawberry puree and freeze-dried strawberry powder for a vibrant flavor and beautiful pink hue.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
Cake
- 2 and 1/2 cups cake flour (295g), spooned & leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80g) full-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (about 135g), cooled
- Optional: 1–2 drops red or pink food coloring
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Reduced Strawberry Puree: In a blender or food processor, puree the fresh strawberries until smooth. Transfer the puree to a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to 1/2 cup (about 135g), which takes 25–35 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate overnight if possible and bring to room temperature before using in the batter.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line them with parchment paper rounds, and grease the parchment paper to ensure easy cake removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add Egg Whites, Sour Cream, and Vanilla: Add the egg whites and beat on high until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add sour cream and vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Milk: Add the dry ingredients to the batter. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the whole milk and beat until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the batter light.
- Add Strawberry Puree and Food Coloring: Whisk in the reduced strawberry puree and optional food coloring by hand, ensuring there are no lumps. The batter should be slightly thick.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 1 hour.
- Remove Cakes from Pans and Cool Completely: Run a knife around the edges to loosen, remove cakes from pans, peel off parchment, and place on rack to cool fully. Cakes must be completely cool before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a food processor or blender, grind freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and sift to remove larger bits. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, milk, and vanilla; beat on low for 30 seconds, then high for 3 minutes until creamy. Adjust sweetness with salt if needed. Refrigerate frosting for 1 hour before use.
- Assemble and Frost the Cake: Level the cake tops by slicing a thin layer off each with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting evenly on top. Place the second cake layer upside down on top. Apply a thin crumb coat of 1 cup frosting over the entire cake and smooth with a bench scraper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until set.
- Apply Final Frosting Layer: Cover the cake with remaining frosting generously and smooth the sides and top. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before slicing to set the frosting and maintain cake structure.
- Storage: Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Remove from fridge 2 hours before serving to reach optimal flavor and texture.
Notes
- The reduced strawberry puree can be made 1 to 3 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and bring to room temperature before use.
- Cake layers and frosting can be made ahead and stored at room temperature or refrigerated overnight. Both frosted and unfrosted cakes freeze well for 2-3 months.
- Use cake flour for best texture; if unavailable, substitute with a homemade cake flour substitute.
- Substitute buttermilk for whole milk if needed. Avoid low-fat milk as it affects cake texture.
- Freeze-dried strawberries are essential for frosting flavor and powder texture; omit and increase confectioners' sugar by 1/2 cup if unavailable.
- Frozen strawberries can replace fresh for puree but require longer reduction times.
- For a 9x13-inch cake, bake batter for 40 minutes or until toothpick test passes.
- Use 1–2 drops of pink or red gel food coloring to deepen the cake's pink color if desired.
- For frosting without cream cheese, try strawberry buttercream as an alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 39 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
