Easy Strawberry Cake with Basil and Strawberry Roses
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
45 – 50 minutes
Serves:
10 – 12
Ingredients
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 1/2 Cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, minced
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 Cup olive oil
- 1/2 Cup whole milk
- 1/2 Cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 3-4 Driscoll’s Berry Big Strawberries, diced
- 1/2 Tsp. baking soda
- 1 3/4 Cups sugar
- 6-7 Driscoll’s Berry Big Strawberries, whole or shaped into roses
- Basil leaves
Directions
- POUR 1 cup heavy cream into a small saucepan.
- ADD 1/2 cup basil leaves.
- HEAT to a simmer just until barely steaming.
- REMOVE from heat.
- COVER saucepan and ALLOW to steep at least 30 minutes.
- CHILL in refrigerator at least one hour.
- STRAIN chilled infused heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and DISCARD basil leaves.
- ADD 2 tablespoons sugar to bowl of stand mixer.
- WHISK on medium until soft peaks form.
- CHILL in refrigerator until needed.
- SPREAD basil whipped cream evenly over top of cake.
- DECORATE cake with whole Berry Big Strawberries or strawberry roses.
- GARNISH with additional fresh basil leaves as desired.
- SERVE immediately.
- PREHEAT oven to 325˚F.
- SPRAY with nonstick spray or LINE with parchment paper a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan.
- PLACE 2 cups flour into a medium bowl.
- ADD 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
- SIFT ingredients together.
- SET ASIDE flour mixture.
- PLACE 1 ¾ cups sugar into a large bowl.
- ADD 2 tablespoons minced basil.
- MASSAGE basil leaves into sugar using fingertips.
- ADD 4 eggs.
- WHISK until well combined.
- ADD 2/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- WHISK until smooth.
- ADD flour mixture.
- FOLD together until no white streaks remain.
- FOLD in diced strawberries until incorporated.
- POUR batter into prepared baking pan.
- BAKE 45 – 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
- SET ASIDE strawberry cake to cool completely.
- PLACE one strawberry, stem side down, on a cutting board.
- INSERT a wooden skewer securely into tip of strawberry.
- HOLDING skewer in one hand and paring knife in the other, cut petals around lowest sides of strawberry.
- FAN petals out as you work your way around strawberry and USE skewer to TURN berry as you cut.
- CUT another row of petals slightly above first row.
- CONTINUE CUTTING and FANNING OUT petals and until you reach top of berry
- REPEAT with remaining strawberries.
