Fresh Strawberry Cake with Freeze-Dried Strawberry Buttercream is moist and delightful with intense strawberry flavor.
This strawberry cake is flavored with reduced fresh strawberries added to the batter and smothered with creamy frosting that is not too sweet but with rich strawberry flavor from the powdered freeze-dried strawberries.
If you love strawberry cake, this is a must try. This strawberry cake recipe is easy and luscious.
I’ve been procrastinating making a strawberry cake from scratch using fresh strawberries and not from a boxed cake mix with gelatin.
There’s nothing wrong with boxed cake mix. It is convenient and I’ve used it many times.
But staring at this huge, sweet strawberries I can’t resist not making the cake from scratch. I have time and nothing beats a cake made with real fruit. It might take longer to make than a boxed cake mix but it’s worth it.
Anyway, strawberries are in season and the best time to make smoothie, ice cream, cake, jam, or pie.
I’ve been out twice already and got more strawberries. If I am in the mood, I might also make Strawberry Ice Cream. I’ll see!
How to make strawberry cake
There’s nothing hard about making this cake. It was easy. In fact, it took longer to take images.
Here are some tips making this delicious Strawberry Cake.
Remove strawberry leaves and wash thoroughly.
Puree whole strawberries in blender and transfer to sauce pan. I set my stove to medium low to reduce strawberry. This process will take a while. You can set the stove to medium but be sure to be next to your stove stirring constantly.
Once liquid has evaporated, strawberries will be quite thick. Turn off heat and transfer to a bowl. Let it cool in room temperature or in the fridge before making the cake batter.
I made and baked the batter that night and left it at room temperature.
The following morning, I made the frosting and assembled the cake.
Blend freeze-dried strawberries until it’s finely ground or powdered. Cover the top of blender if there’s an opening so small particles don’t escape.
In fact, it might be better to use a coffee grinder as long as it is clean of coffee grounds or a magic bullet. I have a Blendtec and the powder was all over.
It is a breeze to make this cake once you have reduced the strawberries and grounded the freeze-dried strawberries.
How long to store cake
Keep cake in a sealed container or a cake carrier for 5 days in the fridge. A sealed container will keep it moist. I prefer to have this cake cold but you can leave it in room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Over 5 days, wrap it in plastic then foil and store in the freezer.
Can I Make Extra Reduced Strawberries?
Yes, keep it in a sealed container for 3 months in the freezer.
Should I Crumb Coat the Cake?
A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting applied over the cake then chilled for about 15 minutes to let the crumb coat set before applying the remaining frosting. Crumb coating will prevent any stray crumbs from getting trap in the final frosting.
In my opinion, baking this cake the night before, I don’t find it necessary to crumb coat the cake. Leave it overnight at room temperature covered with mesh screen food protector or refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Cake is less crumbly, less fragile and easier to work with.
But if you prefer to crumb coat before spreading the final top coat, then it’s your call. It doesn’t hurt.
Where to Buy Freeze-Dried Strawberries?
Lately, Freeze-Dried Strawberries are out of stock but they are sold in Trader’s Joe, Walmart, Target and Naturals Grocer.
I was at Trader’s Joe and they run out when I was there. Luckily, the cashier asked me if I found everything I needed. I told her, I need to run to their other store to look for freeze-dried strawberries. She said, just check Naturals Grocer next door. I’m glad I did. It was more expensive but it saved me a trip.
You’ll be surprise, powdered freeze-dried strawberries add a decadent rich strawberry flavor to the frosting. Someday, I will experiment and add it to the batter.
Would you like to try other popular delicious desserts
Maple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
French Macarons
Chocolate Cake
Fruit Cocktail Cake
Fruit Tart
Recipe
Fresh Strawberry Cake with Freeze-Dried Strawberry Buttercream
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cups sifted cake flour spoon & leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup 1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites at room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream or plain yogurt at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
- ½ cup reduced strawberry puree
- 1-2 drops red or pink food coloring optional
Freeze-Dried Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1.2 oz 34g freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 8- ounce full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 –2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and removed strawberry leaves. Pat dry with paper towel and puree strawberries in blender. Transfer in sauce pan over medium low heat to reduce strawberry puree. Consistency should be thick and not runny. Let it cool before adding to the batter. This can be done ahead of time stored in the fridge in a sealed container.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177°C). Grease with butter and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans.
- Make Cake Batter: Combine cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Use a mixer with whisk attachment, beat butter and sugar together for 2 minutes on high until smooth. With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl occasionally. Add egg whites, beat for a minute on high then stir in sour cream and vanilla extract. Continue beating for another minute on high speed until well combined. Switch to low speed, add dry ingredients until mixed then slowly pour milk just until combined. Don’t overmix. Stir in ½ cup of the reduced strawberry puree until well blended making sure no lumps at the bottom of bowl. If you like, add 1 to 2 drops of gel pink or red coloring.
- Pour batter evenly in greased pans and bake between 24 to 25 minutes or until fully baked. Do the toothpick test, insert toothpick at the center and if it comes out clean, it is done. Leave the cake in the pans to completely cool on a wire rack.
- Make the Freeze-Dried Strawberry Buttercream Frosting: Use a blender, food processor or coffee grinder (clean of coffee grounds) blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery texture. It will yield just over ½ cup. Set aside 2 tablespoons for dusting top of cake.
- Note: Cover top of blender with saran wrap if there’s a small opening so strawberry powder particles don’t escape.
- Using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat cream cheese for a minute on high speed until smooth then add butter. Beat until combined then add confectioners’ sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder, 1 tablespoon milk and vanilla. Continue beating on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. To thin out frosting, you may add 1 more tablespoon of milk. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. This will yield 3 cups of frosting.
- Assemble and Frost the Cake: If top of cake surface is quite flat, you don’t need to slice a thin layer off the top otherwise if you have to, use a serrated knife (discard or eat it with some frosting.) Place a cake layer on a cake stand and evenly spread ¼ inch of frosting on top of cake. Place the 2nd cake layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Place 2 tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberry powder in a small strainer. Sprinkle top of cake thinly with strawberry powder. Refrigerate cake for at least an hour, so it is less crumbly when slicing.
- Decorate cake with fresh strawberries. Brush the strawberries with a thin coat of heated mixture of apricot preserve and water to prevent it from weeping and retain it’s vibrant color. Or just add strawberry before serving.
- Note: I prefer to bake the cake the night before and let it cool off in room temperature overnight covered with a mesh screen food protector or place it in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Cake is less fragile, less crumbly and easier to work with.
- Store leftover cake in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Over 5 days, wrap in plastic then foil and store in freezer up to 2 months.
Notes
- If making extra reduced strawberries, store it in an air tight container up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw before using.
- Instead of whole milk, I used Carnation Evaporated Milk. Buttermilk can also be used. Don’t substitute with a lower fat milk.
Nutrition
This is a delicious easy cake and was adapted from Sally Baking Addiction. Thank you for sharing!
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