Strawberry Cake

Introduction & Inspiration

I’m always on the lookout for stunning and delicious cake recipes, especially those that feature fresh, seasonal fruit. This Strawberry Cake, with its promise of a moist, flavorful cake infused with strawberry puree and a luscious cream cheese frosting, immediately caught my attention! It seemed like the perfect dessert for a special occasion, a birthday celebration, or simply a delightful treat to share with loved ones.

My inspiration came from a love of strawberries and a desire to create a cake that was both beautiful and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor. I envisioned a cake that would be moist, tender, and intensely strawberry-flavored, with a creamy frosting that complemented the fruit perfectly.

My goal was to find a recipe that was both approachable for home bakers and yielded a truly impressive and delicious result. This Strawberry Cake recipe seemed to fit the bill perfectly: clear instructions, readily available ingredients, and a focus on achieving that perfect balance of flavors and textures.

It is a perfect cake for a birthday party.

Nostalgic Appeal

Strawberry cake, while perhaps not as universally recognized as chocolate or vanilla cake, holds a special nostalgic appeal for many. It evokes memories of summertime, fresh fruit desserts, and homemade treats, often associated with family gatherings and special occasions.

The use of fresh strawberry puree in both the cake batter and the frosting is a key element that adds to the nostalgic charm, reminiscent of homemade strawberry jam, strawberry shortcake, and other classic strawberry desserts.

The layer cake format, with its two layers of moist cake and generous frosting, is a classic and comforting presentation, evoking memories of birthday cakes and celebratory desserts.

And the act of baking a cake from scratch, from creaming butter and sugar to frosting the finished cake, is a timeless culinary tradition that connects us to generations of home bakers.

Homemade Focus

This Strawberry Cake recipe is a celebration of homemade goodness, emphasizing the fresh flavors and satisfying techniques of home baking. You’re taking basic ingredients – flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and fresh strawberries – and transforming them into a beautiful and delicious layer cake.

I appreciate recipes that prioritize homemade elements and allow for hands-on involvement, and this one certainly does. You’re pureeing strawberries, creaming butter and sugar, whisking together a batter, and making a luscious cream cheese frosting from scratch.

The use of fresh strawberry puree in both the cake batter and the frosting is a key element that elevates this cake and ensures a vibrant and authentic strawberry flavor throughout.

And the act of assembling the cake, layering the cake with jam and frosting, and decorating it with fresh strawberries (if desired), adds a personal and creative touch, making this cake feel truly special and homemade.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal of this Strawberry Cake is an intense and fresh strawberry flavor, balanced by the sweetness of the cake and the tangy creaminess of the frosting. It’s a cake that’s designed to be both moist and flavorful, with a perfect harmony of textures and tastes.

The cake itself, made with all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and a significant amount of strawberry puree, provides a moist, tender, and intensely strawberry-flavored base.

The strawberry puree, made by cooking down fresh strawberries, adds a concentrated burst of fresh strawberry flavor and a beautiful pink hue to the cake.

The cream cheese frosting, made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and more strawberry puree, provides a rich, creamy, tangy, and subtly sweet topping that complements the cake perfectly.

The layer of strawberry jam between the cake layers adds an extra layer of sweetness and intensifies the strawberry flavor.

And the optional garnish of fresh strawberries adds a final touch of freshness and visual appeal.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients.

Cake:

• All-purpose flour:
• Baking powder and baking soda:
• Kosher salt:
• Unsalted butter, softened:
• Granulated sugar:
• Large eggs:
• Vanilla extract:
• Sour cream:
• Strawberries: Pureed and reduced, for intense flavor.

Frosting:

• Cream cheese, softened:
• Unsalted butter, softened
• Powdered sugar:
• Vanilla extract:
• Strawberry puree: (Reduced from the cake portion)
• Red food coloring, optional:
• Seedless strawberry jam: This is used as a filling between the cake layers, adding extra strawberry flavor and moisture.
• Halved or sliced fresh strawberries, optional: For garnish.

This a classic list of ingredients for a cake.

Essential Equipment

Here’s a list of essential equipment.

• Two 9-inch round baking pans:
• Parchment paper:
• A small saucepan: For reducing the strawberry puree.
• Large bowls (at least two):
• A hand mixer (or a stand mixer):
• A rubber spatula:
• A cake stand or platter: For serving the cake.
• An offset spatula:

These are easy tools to find.

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here’s the complete list of ingredients, with precise measurements:

Cake:

• Cooking spray
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 6 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple food coloring, for decorating
• 2 pounds of Strawberries

Frosting & Assembly:

• 8 cups (920 g.) powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 cups (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups Lucky Charm marshmallows
• Green, black, and yellow food coloring, for decorating
• 1/2 cup of strawberry jam

These are perfect quantities.

Remember to gather all ingredients.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s break down the process into easy-to-follow steps.

1. Make Strawberry Puree:

• Hull and roughly chop/quarter about 1 pound of the strawberries.
• In a small saucepan, bring strawberries to a boil over medium heat.
• Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 20-25 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally. This concentrates the strawberry flavor.
• Transfer to a shallow container. Refrigerate until chilled.

2. Prepare Cake Pans and Preheat Oven:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Line 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper.
• Coat with cooking spray.

3. Whisk Dry Ingredients:

• In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Cream Butter and Sugar:

• In another large bowl, using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat granulated sugar and butter until combined.

5. Add Oil and Eggs:

• Add oil and beat until smooth and creamy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla.

6. Alternate Dry Ingredients and Liquids:

• Add about one-third of dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed until just a few dry streaks remain.
• Add milk and beat until incorporated.
• Add ¹ another one-third of dry ingredients, beating until just a few dry streaks remain.  
• Add sour cream and beat until incorporated.
• Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
• Stir in ½ cup of the reduced, chilled strawberry puree.

7. Bake the Cakes:

• Divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30-33 minutes.

8. Cool the Cakes:

• Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.

9. Make the Frosting:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
• Beat in confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup of the reduced strawberry mixture, and, if desired, extract and red food coloring; beat until smooth.

10. Assemble the Cake:

• Place bottom cake layer on a serving plate; top with jam and 1 cup frosting.
• Top with the remaining cake layer.
• Spread remaining frosting over top and side of cake.
• Garnish with remaining strawberries if desired.

These instructions are clear and detailed.

Troubleshooting

Let’s address some potential issues, and how to solve them:

Problem: My cake is dry. Solution: You may have overbaked it, or used too much flour. Be careful not to overmeasure the flour (use the “spoon and level” method or, ideally, weigh your flour), and check for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time.

Problem: My cake sunk in the middle. Solution: This can happen if the oven temperature is too low, if you open the oven door too often during baking, or if you use old baking powder or baking soda.

Problem: My frosting is too runny. Solution: Add more powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches the desired consistency. You can also chill the frosting for a bit to help it firm up.

Problem: My frosting is too thick. Solution: Add a little milk or cream, a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.

These are useful tips.

Tips and Variations

Here is some tips.

Tip: For the best strawberry flavor, use fresh, ripe strawberries for both the puree and the garnish.

Variation: Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cake batter for extra brightness.

Tip: If you don’t have cake flour, you can use all-purpose flour, but the cake may be slightly less tender.

Variation: Instead of a layer cake, you can bake the batter in a 9×13-inch pan for a sheet cake, adjusting the baking time as needed.

Tip: For a smoother frosting, make sure your cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature before beating them together.

Variation: Decorate the cake with other fresh berries, such as raspberries or blueberries, in addition to or instead of strawberries.

This recipe offers many options.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

This Strawberry Cake is a beautiful and delicious dessert that’s perfect for any special occasion.

Serving: Serve the cake at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Pairing: * It’s perfect for birthdays, spring and summer gatherings, or any time you want a fresh and fruity dessert. * Serve it with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of cold milk. * A glass of sparkling wine or a light, fruity rosé would also be a lovely accompaniment for adults. Drink with moderation

This recipe is perfect for sharing!

Nutritional Information

Nutritional information is approximate due to variations in specific ingredients and serving sizes. A slice of cake (assuming the cake is cut into 10-12 slices) may contain:

• Calories: 450-550 (depending on slice size and frosting amount)
• Fat: 25-35 grams
• Saturated Fat: 15-20 grams
• Cholesterol: 80-120 mg
• Sodium: 200-300 mg
• Total Carbs.: 55-65 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 1-2 grams
• Sugars: 40-50 grams
• Protein: 5-7 grams

This Strawberry Cake is a rich and decadent dessert, best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Let’s conclude with a summary and frequently asked questions:

Recipe Summary:

This Strawberry Cake features two layers of moist, vanilla cake infused with fresh strawberry puree, filled with strawberry jam and a layer of strawberry cream cheese frosting, and then frosted all over with more strawberry cream cheese frosting. It’s a beautiful and delicious cake that celebrates the flavor of fresh strawberries.

Q&A:

Q: Can I make this cake ahead of time? A: Yes! You can bake the cake layers a day or two in advance and store them, tightly wrapped, at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You can also make the frosting ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Assemble the cake closer to the serving time.

Q: How long will the assembled cake keep? A: The assembled cake is best enjoyed within 2-3 days, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Q: Can I freeze this cake? A: Yes, you can freeze the unfrosted cake layers. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frosting.

Q: I don’t have buttermilk. What can I use instead? A: You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding ¾ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to ¾ cup of milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.

Q: Can I make it with gluten free flour? A: Yes.

I hope this comprehensive guide has inspired you to bake this stunning Strawberry Cake! It’s a truly special dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. Enjoy the process, and happy baking!