Strawberry Dream Cake
Strange as it may seem, the vast majority of existing strawberry cake recipes turn to strawberry Jell-O for flavor. Hoping to avoid this artificial solution, we performed test after test to figure out the best way to season our cake with actual strawberries. Any strawberry solids wreaked havoc on the tender cake, but strained and reduced strawberry juices kept our cake light and packed a strawberry punch. Not to be left behind, the reserved strawberry solids made for the perfect studded addition to the frosting.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Cake:
- 283 grams frozen whole strawberries 10 ounces, 2 cups
- ¾ cup whole milk room temperature
- 6 large egg whites room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 255 grams cake flour 9 ounces, 2 ¼ cups
- 347 grams granulated sugar 12¼ ounces, 1 ¾ cups
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces and softened
Frosting:
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 255 grams confectioners' sugar 2 ¼ cups, 9 ounces
- 340 grams cream cheese 12 ounces, cut into 12 pieces and softened
- 1 pinch salt
- 227 grams fresh strawberries 8 ounces, about 1 1/2 cups, hulled and sliced thin
Instructions
For the cake:
Prepare the pans:
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, grease the parchment, and flour.
Make the strawberry milk:
- Transfer the strawberries to a bowl, cover, and microwave until the strawberries are soft and have released their juice, about 5 minutes.
- Place them in a fine-mesh strainer set over a small saucepan.
- Firmly press the fruit dry (the juice should measure at least 3/4 cup); reserve the strawberry solids.
- Bring the juice to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Whisk the milk into the juice until combined.
Make the batter:
- Whisk the strawberry milk, egg whites, and vanilla in a bowl.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined.
- Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute.
- Add half of the milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Give the batter a final stir by hand.
Bake the cakes:
- Scrape equal amounts of batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.
- Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the pans, discarding the parchment, and cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
For the frosting:
Make the frsoting:
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the butter and sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add the reserved strawberry solids and salt and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
Frost the cake:
- Pat the fresh strawberries dry with paper towels.
- When the cakes are cooled, spread 3/4 cup of frosting over 1 cake round.
- Press 1 cup of strawberries in an even layer over the frosting and cover with an additional 3/4 cup of frosting.
- Top with the second cake round and spread the remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of the cake.
- Garnish with the remaining strawberries and serve. (The cake can be refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)