Description
Strawberry Cake brings pure joy straight from your kitchen to the table, blending fresh berries with classic baking magic. Creamy layers and sweet fruit make this dessert a crowd-pleasing treat perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Cake Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting and Topping Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup strawberry puree
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- Fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
Instructions
- Pulse 1 cup strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving ¼ cup for frosting.
- Heat oven to 350F. Coat two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and dust with flour.
- Whisk 2 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream 1 cup butter and 1 ¾ cups sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add 2 eggs one at a time, then mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Combine 1 cup buttermilk with reserved strawberry puree in a separate container.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture to butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Gently fold 1 cup chopped strawberries into batter.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
- Bake at 350F for 32 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
- Beat 8 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup butter until smooth.
- Gradually mix in 4 cups powdered sugar on low speed.
- Stir in ¼ cup strawberry puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
- Trim cake layers if needed to create even surfaces.
- Place first cake layer on serving plate.
- Spread thick layer of frosting across first cake layer.
- Position second cake layer on top of frosting.
- Cover entire cake with remaining strawberry frosting.
- Decorate with fresh strawberry slices.
- Refrigerate 45 minutes before serving to set frosting.
Notes
- Strain the strawberry puree carefully to ensure a smooth, seed-free texture that blends seamlessly into your cake and frosting.
- Chop fresh strawberries finely to distribute them evenly throughout the cake, preventing large soggy chunks that could disrupt the cake’s delicate crumb.
- Room temperature ingredients are crucial for creating a light, tender cake with perfect mixing and consistent texture.
- For a gluten-free version, swap the all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend, and add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum to help bind the ingredients.
- Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 44 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg