Description
This homemade strawberry cake features a moist, tender crumb infused with reduced fresh strawberry puree and a luscious strawberry cream cheese frosting made from freeze-dried strawberries. Perfectly balanced between sweet and fruity, this cake is ideal for celebrations or any time you crave a fresh, flavorful dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups (295g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 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 (120g/ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (from step 1)
- 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 (8 Tbsp; 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
- Make the reduced strawberry puree: Hull the fresh strawberries and place them in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, yielding a little over 1 cup (around 270g). Transfer the puree to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 135g), which takes approximately 25–35 minutes depending on your equipment and strawberry ripeness. Remove from heat, pour into a heat-safe bowl, and cool completely before using. For best results, prepare this a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. This ensures easy cake release after baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add egg whites: Add the egg whites and beat on high speed until combined, around 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl sides as needed.
- Incorporate sour cream and vanilla: Mix in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Add dry ingredients and liquids: With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients followed by the whole milk. Beat gently until just combined—avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Combine strawberry puree and optional coloring: Whisk the room-temperature reduced strawberry puree into the batter by hand, adding 1–2 drops of red or pink food coloring if desired, ensuring no lumps remain. The batter should be slightly thick.
- Bake the cake: Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 24–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 1 hour.
- Remove cakes from pans: Run a knife around the edges, remove from pans, peel off parchment, and cool completely on racks. Cakes must be fully cool before frosting.
- Prepare frosting – powder strawberries: In a blender or food processor, process freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Sift through a fine mesh sieve if needed to remove larger pieces. Set aside.
- Make frosting: Using a stand or handheld mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high until smooth (about 2 minutes). Scrape down bowl sides as needed.
- Add sugar and flavorings: Add confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to high and beat for 3 minutes until completely smooth and creamy. Adjust salt to taste if frosting is too sweet.
- Chill frosting: Cover and refrigerate frosting for 1 hour to firm up before using.
- Level cake layers: Using a serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of cakes to create flat surfaces. Discard or repurpose crumbs.
- Assemble cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand, spread 3/4 to 1 cup (180–240g) frosting evenly over the top.
- Add second layer and crumb coat: Place second cake layer upside down on top. Spread 1 cup (240g) frosting thinly over the top and sides as a crumb coat. Smooth sides with a bench scraper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Final frosting: Cover entire cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before slicing to help the frosting set and maintain cake shape.
- Storage: Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Remove from fridge 2 hours before serving to allow it to come to room temperature for optimal flavor and texture.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cake layers can be baked and cooled, then covered and stored at room temperature overnight. Frosting can be prepared and refrigerated overnight. Let frosting soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before assembling.
- Both frosted and unfrosted cakes freeze well for 2–3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before decorating or serving.
- Reduced strawberry puree can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. Thaw and bring to room temperature before use.
- Use cake flour for best texture; a homemade substitute is recommended if unavailable.
- If desired, replace whole milk with buttermilk for a slight tang; lower-fat milks are not recommended.
- Freeze-dried strawberries are essential for frosting; find them at grocery stores, health food stores, or online. Do not use chewy dried strawberries.
- Frozen strawberries can be used for puree but require longer reduction time even after thawing.
- For a 9×13-inch sheet cake, bake batter in a greased pan for about 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- For cupcakes, fill pans 2/3 full and bake for 20–22 minutes to make roughly 30 cupcakes.
- Add 1–2 drops of red or pink gel food coloring to deepen cake color, if desired.
- If avoiding cream cheese in frosting, use a strawberry buttercream alternative, increasing the recipe by 1.5 times for thicker coverage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
