Strawberry Layer Cake

When it’s strawberry season, this strawberry layer cake is made with fresh strawberries, and frosted with a strawberry cream cheese frosting. A perfect cake for Spring! I have step by step instructions for you on how to make this fresh strawberry cake recipe.

 

Spring has sprung friends and Mother’s Day is around the corner! So let’s rejoice…with some cake. But not just any cake…a fresh strawberry layer cake. No extracts or jams here, but instead a fresh strawberry puree is folded into a light and fluffy cake making for a beautifully pink cake that everyone is going to devour.

For Mother’s Day I love serving brunch. There’s so many wonderful recipes to make for Mother’s Day, like my Chantilly Cake (that’s better than Whole Foods!) isn’t there? Or maybe my Italian cream cake with coconut and pecans. And every good brunch deserves a great dessert, doesn’t it?

When creating this cake recipe I knew I wanted lots of strawberry flavor to shine through but not be overly sweet either. Unfortunately jam, although easier, produced too sweet of a cake. And frankly, I’m just not a fan of extracts beyond the classics like almond and vanilla. They never taste real to me, you know what I’m saying?

So how do you get that pure strawberry flavor in every bite without creating too watery of a cake batter? By cooking down a fresh strawberry puree, so its reduced in liquid and concentrated in flavor. Sure this step takes some patience, but really it’s pretty simple to accomplish. I stirred that into this Homemade White Cake recipe (which I also used for my Funfetti cake you have to try!) and by golly the perfect fresh strawberry cake for Spring was born.

I thought about frosting this strawberry layer cake in my homemade strawberry buttercream frosting that I’ve used before on Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes, but I thought a strawberry cream cheese frosting would really be a wonderful complement to the sweet strawberry flavor. And after one bite, I knew I made the right call.

See Also:

• If you’re looking for a showstopping cake, this Milk Bar cake is the perfect dessert to make for a birthday!
• Calling all peanut butter lovers with this super easy peanut butter cream cheese frosting to use on all your favorite cake recipes!
• This easy vanilla cupcake recipe uses melted butter so it comes together in minutes and no mixer is needed!
• When it’s summertime then you have to make these S’mores cupcakes with toasted meringue frosting and graham cracker bottom!
• Get a mixing bowl and make the easiest cake ever! This Tornado cake recipe (aka do nothing cake) made with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans!

Ingredients Needed

• Strawberries – You will put these in a blender or food processor to break them down into a puree then cook on the stove. You can fresh or frozen, but if using frozen you will cook down the strawberries a bit longer.
• Cake flour – This flour has a lower protein content than regular all-purpose flour and will yield a lighter, fluffier cake. You can use a Homemade Cake Flour, but will yielder a denser cake than store-bought cake flour. For more recipes that use cake flour, check out my 41 cake flour recipes.
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Unsalted butter – You want room temperature butter so it can be creamed well together with the sugar to help make for a light and fluffy cake.
• Granulated Sugar
• Vanilla extract 
• Egg whites – You want room temperature egg whites. It’s easier to seperate eggs when cold. I seperate the eggs then let them sit at room temperature.
• Sour cream
• Milk – Any milk will work here.
• Red Food Coloring – This is optional, but a few drops will make for a more “pink cake” in the end.
• Freeze-dried strawberries– This gives maximum strawberry flavor without adding any extra liquid to the frosting. If you can’t find any, you could always swap with jam (I would recommend 1/4 cup to start and add more to your tasting). The frosting might end up being a bit sweeter but will still yield a strawberry flavor. I usually find the strawberries in my organic/health food aisle but also can be found on Amazon.
• Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese that is in block from, not in the tub.
• Powdered Sugar

How To Make A Strawberry Layer Cake

Prep oven and pans. Position rack in the center oven. Preheat the oven to 350^oF/177^oC). Prepare three 8-inch (20 cm) round pans (or two 9-inch round pans) with non-stick spray, then line with parchment circle, and spray again. 

Make strawberry puree. Puree 1 pound of strawberries either in a blender or food processor.

Then in a saucepan, heat strawberry puree over low heat until reduced to about ½ cup.

This can be done up to 2 days ahead of time. Refrigerate puree until ready to use (but make sure it’s at room temperature again before adding to cake batter). 

Combine dry ingredients. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add salt and whisk together. Set aside. 

Cream butter and sugar. In a stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment, (or you can use your hand mixer) cream butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl halfway through mixing. The mixture should be pale yellow. 

Add extract and egg whites. With mixer on low speed, add in the vanilla.

With the mixer running, slowly add in the egg whites mixing to combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Combine the sour cream and milk. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and sour cream. Make sure they are both at room temperature so the blend into your cake batter smoothly.

If they are cold it could cause your butter to seize up and your batter to separate.

Alternate the dry ingredients/sourcream/milk. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk/sourcream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed between additions until incorporated. 

Add strawberry puree. Stir in the reduced strawberry puree that you made earlier. Make sure it’s at room temperature. So if you made it ahead of time, and kept it in the fridge be sure it’s not cold and brought back to room temperature.

Add food coloring. To make the cake pink, I recommend adding a few drops of red food coloring. It’s optional, but definitely helps to make the cake more pink.

Bake cakes. Divide batter equally into the prepared round cake pans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until cake is firm and springs back when gently touched in the center and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in the pan completely on a wire cooling rack before turning out of the pan. Once completely cooled, assemble and frost. 

Make The Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix cream cheese and butter. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add powdered sugar. Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, with mixer off, then mix on low speed until combined.

It’s important that you start your mixer on low to start otherwise you will end up with a blizzard of sugar all over kitchen. *ahem…ask me how I know.

Add vanilla extract, and beat to combine.

Add freeze-dried strawberries. Add the ground freeze-dried strawberries to the frosting and beat on low speed to combined. Once combined, increase speed to medium speed and beat until light and fluffy for about 5 to 6 minutes.

Store in the fridge in an airtight container if not using right away, for up to 4 days. Re-whip again before using so it’s a spreadable consistency.

Frost The Cake

To assemble and frost this strawberry layer cake, start by placing one cake layer onto serving platter or cake stand. I put a little dollop of frosting onto the cake stand so the cake doesn’t shift around as I’m frosting it. Then I frosted the bottom layer.

 If your cake layers are uneven you can use a serrated knife and level the tops.

I added a layer of strawberry jam in the middle of this fresh strawberry cake (totally optional but also delicious!). To keep the jam from oozing out the sides, I piped a border around the edge of the cake, then spread the jam on.

I then placed the second cake layer on, and pressed down lightly. And added more frosting and jam.

I then placed the top layer on, and pressed down lightly. I used a large offset spatula and frost the top of the layer. For even amount of frosting I use a large cookie scoop and scoop the frosting on, then spread out with a spatula.

Baking Tips

• For an easier time frosting your cake, with less crumbs clinging to your frosting start by freezing your cooled cake layers for about 30 minutes before hand.
• Use room temperature eggs and dairy. Cold eggs and dairy will seize up the butter knocking out the air causing your cakes to be flat and dense.
• Crumb coat your cake layers first. This will help with making a smooth final layer of frosting.
• Make sure you are measuring your flour correctly so you end up with a light and fluffy cake and not a dense, dry cake. I recommend measuring by weight for best accuracy. But if using volume (aka measuring cups), then be sure to stir your flour first as it tends to settle into the bag. Then spoon the flour into your cup and level it off. Do not pack it down as it will yield 25% more flour than intended.
• Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting.
• You can make the strawberry reduction ahead of time. You want it at room temperature before adding to the cake batter.
• Line your cake pans with parchment paper rounds for easy removal.

Storage Instructions

Because of the cream cheese frosting I store this cake in the fridge, covered for up to 4 days. I allow it come back to room temperature before serving so the frosting has time to soften. You can also make the cake layers the day before, and wrap well and store at room temperature before frosting.

Leftover cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can wrap cake slices in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and then serve at room temperature the next day.

Recipe FAQ’s

More Recipes To Try

If you are craving more strawberry desserts then try my strawberry cheesecake cookies. Full of real strawberry flavor with a hidden cheesecake surprise inside!

And for more berry desserts try my triple berry pie recipe and my 3 ingredient raspberry pie recipe.