Fresh Strawberry Cake with Freeze-Dried Strawberry Buttercream

Strawberry Cake made from scratch using fresh and freeze-dried strawberries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 389kcal

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

US Customary - Metric

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