Description
A delightful homemade strawberry cake featuring a moist and tender crumb infused with fresh strawberry puree and a creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting, perfect for celebrations or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup fresh strawberry puree (reduced)
- Pink food coloring (optional)
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 6 to 7 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- ¼ cup fresh strawberry puree (reduced)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to evenly distribute the leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Egg Whites and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg whites one at a time into the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Milk and Strawberry Puree: In a separate bowl, mix whole milk with the reduced fresh strawberry puree to infuse natural fruit flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet batter while mixing on low speed, ensuring everything is fully combined without overmixing.
- Add Food Coloring (Optional): If desired, add pink food coloring to the batter until your preferred shade is reached, giving the cake a lovely pink hue.
- Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes to set, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to achieve a smooth batter and even baking.
- Fresh strawberry puree should be slightly reduced to concentrate flavor and avoid excess moisture in the cake.
- You can adjust the pink food coloring to make the cake more or less vibrant, or omit it for a natural look.
- The frosting can be tinted with additional strawberry puree for enhanced flavor and color.
- Fresh parsley in the frosting provides a subtle herbal note and makes a decorative garnish.
- Ensure the cakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting.
- Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep it fresh.
