Strawberry Cake

Tender strawberry cake filled with strawberry puree and topped with strawberry cream cheese icing. This strawberry cake is flavored entirely naturally with freeze dried strawberries and a strawberry reduction. It is truly the best strawberry cake we have ever had. It’s full of strawberry flavor while still being all natural and incredibly delicious. 

Components of the Strawberry Cake:

1. Strawberry Puree: This puree adds a deep, concentrated strawberry flavor to both the cake and the icing. Made with fresh strawberries, it gives the cake a natural and intense strawberry taste.
2. Cake: The cake itself is made with cake flour, granulated sugar, and freeze-dried strawberries for an extra punch of strawberry flavor. The addition of buttermilk ensures a tender crumb.
3. Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing: This creamy icing is flavored with both strawberry puree and freeze-dried strawberries, making it intensely strawberry-flavored and perfect for topping the cake.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Cake:

• Use Fresh Strawberries: When in season, we find that fresh strawberries provide the best flavor for the puree. Make sure they are ripe and juicy.
• Reduce the Puree: Reducing the strawberry puree on the stove intensifies the strawberry flavor and ensures the cake and icing are not too watery.
• Chill the puree: Make sure the strawberry puree is fully cooled before using it in the cake or icing to avoid melting the butter and cream cheese in the icing.

FAQs:

A: Yes, frozen strawberries can be used, but make sure to thaw and drain if there is too much excess water before blending. 

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Strawberry Cake

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

Strawberry Puree:

• 1 pound of fresh hulled and sliced strawberries, 16 oz
• 2 tablespoons water 30 ml
• 2 tablespoons sugar 25 g
• ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Kosher salt 1 ml
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Total Yield = 1 ½ cup

Strawberry Cake:

• 3 ¾ cups cake flour 445 g
• 2 ½ cups granulated sugar 500 g
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda 7 ml
• 1 tablespoon Diamond Kosher salt 15 ml, (1/2 tablespoon if Morton)
• 20 g freeze dried strawberries ground into a powder in a food processor
• 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 30 ml
• ½ teaspoon almond extract 3 ml
• 1 ½ cup buttermilk 360 ml
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups neutral oil 480 ml
• 3/4 cup strawberry puree 180 ml
• Zest 1 lemon
• 4-8 drops pink food dye optional

Strawberry icing

• 1 stick cream cheese 8 oz
• 1 ½ sticks butter 170 g
• 4 cups powdered sugar 480 g
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 ml
• ½ teaspoon almond extract 3 ml
• ½ teaspoon salt 3 ml
• 1/4 cup strawberry puree 60 ml
• 20 g freeze dried strawberries ground into a powder in a food processor

Filling:

• ½ cup strawberry puree 120 ml

Instructions

Strawberry puree:

• Add the sliced strawberries into a blender with the water, sugar, salt and blend until smooth
• In a medium saucepan, heat the strawberries over medium heat until the mixture is about half the volume (it should come out to 1 1/2 cup). This will take around 20-30 minutes. After cooking, mix in the zest of 1 lemon.
• Set aside the mixture until it is entirely cooled throughout before using
  

Cake:

• Preheat the over to 350 degrees F
• Grease and line 3 8-inch cake pans
• Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and freeze dried strawberries into a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a whisk until evenly combined
  
• Add the the vanilla, almond extract, buttermilk, eggs and oil and stir until combined
• Add in the strawberry puree, zest of lemon, and food dye if using. Stir until the mixture is just evenly combined
  
• Evenly distribute the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans
• Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
• Set aside to cool

Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing:

• In the base of a kitchen aid or large bowl with a hand mixer, add softened butter and cream cheese
• On medium high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy (around 2 minutes)
• Add salt, almond extract, vanilla and strawberry puree. Whip until combined
• On low speed, add the freeze dried strawberries and powdered sugar ½ cup at a time
• Once all the sugar has been added, turn up the mixture and whip on medium high until light and fluffy (around 2 minutes)
  

Assembly:

• Trim off the tops of the cakes to create even layers
  
• Set the first layer on a plate or cake stand and spread an even layer of strawberry icing across the cake. With a piping bag with a ¼ inch round opening or a ziploc bag with a ¼ inch cut off the end create a boarder around the cake with the strawberry icing
• Place ¼ cup of the remaining strawberry puree on top of the cake and spread in an even layer.
  
• Add the second cake layer on top and repeat the icing, puree steps 1 more time topping at the end with the third cake layer
• Spread the remaining icing over the outside of the cake in an even layer