Homemade Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

nibbleboard.com/recipes/strawberry-cake-recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Hull the fresh strawberries and blend until smooth — you should have a little more than 1 cup of puree. Transfer to a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup. This takes about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease the parchment.
3. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg whites and beat on high until combined, about 2 minutes.
5. Scrape down the sides. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, beating until combined.
6. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix on low speed after each addition until just incorporated.
7. Fold in the cooled reduced strawberry puree until the batter is evenly pink. Add a drop or two of food coloring if you want a deeper pink — this is optional.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 24-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then invert onto the rack. Peel off parchment and cool completely, about 1 hour.
10. Make the frosting: process the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder in a blender or food processor. Sift through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any larger bits.
11. Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low until incorporated, then increase to high and beat for 2 minutes until fluffy.
12. Level the cake layers with a serrated knife if domed. Place one layer on a cake stand or plate, spread about 1 cup of frosting on top. Set the second layer on top, then frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting using an offset spatula.
13. Garnish with fresh strawberries on top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing to let the frosting set.

Nutrition per Serving

Chef Tips

• I've found that cooling the strawberry puree completely before adding it to the batter is critical — warm puree will melt the butter and make the cake dense.
• Use freeze-dried strawberries (not fresh) in the frosting. They add intense strawberry flavor without adding moisture that would make the frosting soupy. I buy mine in the snack aisle.
• Egg whites only — no yolks. This keeps the cake light and lets the pink color come through. Save the yolks for custard or carbonara.
• After trying both ways, I always bring the butter, egg whites, sour cream, and milk to room temperature before starting. Cold ingredients cause the batter to curdle and bake unevenly.
• If you don't have cake flour, whisk together 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour with 6 tablespoons cornstarch as a substitute.

Storage

Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Take it out about 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting softens and the cake comes to room temperature.