Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe
Fresh strawberries are not only delightful to eat but they turn this simple lemon cake into a bright pink centerpiece for any celebration or springtime buffet. Strawberry cake can be enjoyed during the spring or anytime of year.
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
35 minutes plus cooling
Serves:
8
Perfect for:
Mothers Day
Ingredients
- 6 Large egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 Cups cake flour
- 2 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 Tsp. salt
- 3/4 Cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 Cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 Cups sugar
- 1 1/4 Cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 Tsp. vanilla extract
- 5 Cups sifted confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 Package (16 ounces) Driscoll's Strawberries
Directions
- PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
- BUTTER or COAT with cooking spray the bottom and sides of two 8-inch by 2-inch round cake pans.
- LINE bottom of each pan with round of parchment paper.
- BUTTER or COAT with cooking spray the parchment paper.
- DUST paper and sides of pans with flour and TAP OUT excess flour.
- PLACE 2 cups cake flour into a medium bowl.
- ADD 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
- STIR to combine ingredients.
- SET ASIDE flour mixture.
- PLACE ¾ cup milk into a small bowl.
- ADD 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- STIR to combine ingredients.
- SET ASIDE milk mixture.
- PLACE ¾ cup butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
- ADD 1 ½ cups granulated sugar.
- BEAT mixture on high speed until light and fluffy.
- REDUCE mixer speed to low.
- ADD one-third of flour mixture.
- BEAT on low speed just until combined.
- ADD one-half of milk mixture.
- BEAT on low speed just until combined.
- ADD half of remaining flour mixture.
- BEAT on low speed just until combined.
- ADD remaining milk mixture.
- BEAT on low speed just until combined.
- ADD remaining flour mixture.
- BEAT on low speed just until combined.
- SET ASIDE cake batter.
- PLACE 6 large egg whites into medium mixing bowl.
- BEAT egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- FOLD egg whites into cake batter in 3 additions until evenly combined.
- DIVIDE cake batter between cake pans.
- BAKE 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
- COOL cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.
- INVERT cakes onto cooling rack and ALLOW to cool completely.
- REMOVE parchment paper from cakes.
- HULL half of a 16-ounce package strawberries. (Use remaining strawberries for smoothies and other desserts.)
- CHOP enough strawberries to fill 1/2 cup.
- PURÉE chopped strawberries in a food processor.
- CUT half of remaining hulled strawberries in half lengthwise to make strawberry garnish.
- SLICE remaining strawberries into thin slices to make strawberry filling.
- SET ASIDE strawberries.
- PLACE 1 ¼ cups butter into bowl of an electric mixer.
- ADD ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- BEAT on high speed until light and fluffy.
- DECREASE mixer speed to low.
- ADD 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, and BEAT thoroughly between additions.
- ADD strawberry purée.
- BEAT frosting on medium-low speed until thoroughly combined.
- PLACE one cake layer on a cake plate or cake stand.
- SPREAD about 1/2 cup frosting onto cake layer and LEAVE 1/2-inch border around edge.
- TOP with thinly sliced strawberries.
- SPREAD thin layer of frosting on second cake layer.
- PLACE second cake layer, frosting side down, on top of first layer.
- PRESS DOWN top layer gently to secure.
- FROST top and sides of cake with a thin coat of frosting.
- REFRIGERATE 15 minutes to set frosting.
- FROST cake with remaining frosting.
- DECORATE cake with remaining strawberry garnish.
- REFRIGERATE cake until ready to use.
- REMOVE cake from refrigerator 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
- SEE the Lemon and Blackberry version of this cake here.
- SEE the Raspberry version of this cake here.
