Fresh Strawberry Cake

5 from 33 reviews

This strawberry cake uses fresh strawberries and freeze dried strawberries to give it the fresh strawberry flavor. It is a 9X9 strawberry cake topped with strawberry cream cheese frosting and swirled with homemade strawberry jam.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Decorating Time15

Total Time2 15

Servings: slices

Calories: 366kcal

Ingredients

Strawberry Cake

2 cups All-purpose flour
3/4 cup Cake flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 oz Freeze-dried strawberries ground to a fine crumb
1/2 cup Unsalted butter room temperature
2 TBSP Oil canola or vegetable
1 cup White granulated sugar
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
3 Large eggs room temperature
1 cup Lightly pureed strawberries about half of a container of strawberries
3/4 cup Buttermilk room temperature

Strawberry Jam

2 cups Strawberries fresh or frozen
1/2 cup White granulated sugar

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

6 oz Cream cheese room temperature
3/4 cup Unsalted butter room temperature
3 cups Powdered sugar sifted
1/4 cup Freeze dried strawberries 1 oz ground to a fine crumb
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries for topping the cake

US - Metric

Instructions

Strawberry Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9X9 inch baking pan with baking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again.
In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1 oz Freeze-dried strawberries, 3/4 cup Cake flour
Using a food processor, wash the strawberries and lightly puree them. It will look kind of like chunky salsa.
1 cup Lightly pureed strawberries
Using a mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla, and lightly pureed strawberries. Mix on medium until combined.
1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 2 TBSP Oil, 1 cup White granulated sugar, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 3 Large eggs
Add in the dry ingredients, buttermilk, and grounded freeze dried strawberries. Mix on low until just combined.
3/4 cup Buttermilk
Take off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let it sit in the hot pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool the cake completely before decorating.

Strawberry Jam

Start this ahead of time or while the cake bakes.
In a medium saucepan, add the strawberries and sugar. Heat over medium heat. Once the strawberries have softened, Lightly mash the strawberries. Heat until thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2 cups Strawberries, 1/2 cup White granulated sugar
Pour jam in a glass measuring cup, it will equal to about 1 cup. If any more than that, keep heating until it cooks down. Cool completely.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar and add in the ground freeze dried strawberries.
3 cups Powdered sugar, 1/4 cup Freeze dried strawberries
Using a mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add the cream cheese. Beat for 1 minute until creamy and no chunks remain.
6 oz Cream cheese, 3/4 cup Unsalted butter
Add in half of the powdered sugar/ strawberry combo, and mix on low until just combined. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar and mix.
Add in the vanilla and beat on high speed until creamy.
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Use a serrated knife to cut a thin layer off the top of the cake, to make sure it is even. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake. Place small dollops of jam on top of the frosting. Use a spoon to swirl it in. Top with strawberries *optional.
Fresh strawberries

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cake.

High altitude baking- Add an extra 2 TBSP of flour.

Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.

Nutrition