Easy Strawberry Cake with Basil and Strawberry Roses
A moist, tender cake filled with fresh strawberries and lightly accented with the flavor of basil leaves. The cake is easy to make, as are the elegant strawberry roses that go along with this exceptional dessert.
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
45 – 50 minutes
Serves:
10 – 12
Perfect for:
Mothers Day
Birthday Parties
Wedding DIY
Healthyish Sweets
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.
