Description
This homemade strawberry cake features a moist, tender crumb infused with fresh strawberry puree and topped with a luscious strawberry cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations or a delightful dessert, it combines classic cake flour with reduced strawberry puree for authentic flavor and vibrant color.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
Cake
- 2 and 1/2 cups cake flour (295g), spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170g), softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350g)
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (80g), at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120ml), at room temperature
- 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (about 135g)
- Optional: 1–2 drops red or pink food coloring
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries (about 25g)
- 8 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese (226g), softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g), softened to room temperature
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (360g)
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the reduced strawberry puree: Puree the fresh strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. You should have a little more than 1 cup (about 270g). Transfer to a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 135g). This takes around 35 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a heat-safe bowl, and cool completely. Refrigerate overnight if possible, then bring to room temperature before use.
- Preheat oven and prepare pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then 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: 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, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed.
- Add sour cream and vanilla: Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the milk and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Add strawberry puree and food coloring: Whisk in the room temperature reduced strawberry puree and optional food coloring, ensuring no lumps remain. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes: Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around edges, remove cakes from pans, peel off parchment, and allow to cool completely on the rack before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Process freeze-dried strawberries in a blender or food processor into a fine powder, sifting if necessary. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, milk, vanilla, and beat starting on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed for 3 minutes until creamy. Add salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.
- Assemble and frost the cake: Level cake tops by slicing a thin layer off each with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting evenly over it. Place the second layer upside down on top. Apply a thin crumb coat with about 1 cup frosting, smoothing sides with a bench scraper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until set. Finish frosting all over with remaining frosting. Chill for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Store leftovers: Cover leftover cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Remove from fridge 2 hours before serving to reach room temperature.
Notes
- The cake layers can be baked and cooled in advance and stored tightly covered at room temperature overnight.
- Frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Let it soften for 10 minutes at room temperature before assembling.
- Frosted or unfrosted cakes can be frozen for 2–3 months; thaw in refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Reduced strawberry puree may be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
- If cake flour is unavailable, use a homemade cake flour substitute for best results.
- Buttermilk can be substituted for whole milk, though not recommended to use lower-fat milk.
- Freeze-dried strawberries must be used for frosting, not chewy dried strawberries; they powder finely.
- Frozen strawberries can be used for puree but will take longer to reduce.
- For 9×13-inch cake, bake batter for 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- For cupcakes, fill pans 2/3 full and bake 22 minutes for about 30 cupcakes.
- Optional food coloring enhances cake color; use gel-based for best results.
- For a cream cheese-free frosting, try strawberry buttercream instead, adjusting recipe quantities for desired thickness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
