Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

The most delicious strawberry cake with fresh strawberries and NO jello or cake mix!  Moist, soft and fluffy-this truly is the best strawberry cake I've ever tasted!

Strawberry cake is on the list of my top 5 favorite desserts. I love everything about it.

I've been searching for a fresh strawberry cake for years now. One that was still full of strawberry flavor without all the preservatives as the ones with jello and cake mix. Here it is, folks.I wanted to make a strawberry cream cheese frosting but adding fresh strawberries tends to make the frosting runny and we couldn't have that. With some extensive research and testing, I found out that freeze dried strawberries were the perfect addition! Simply grind the freeze dried strawberries down into a fine powder in a blender or coffee grinder and add it to your frosting. I found mine at Trader Joe's, but you can also buy them here.

These bracelets are by my friends at OKO Lifestyle who make the cutest clothes. I had the privilege of modeling for their newest collection and I'm in love with everything they create. If you're on 30A, check out their boutiques at the Hub and in Rosemary Beach!

I hope you love this strawberry cake and brighten someones day with it. Happy baking!

Photos by Brenna Kneiss

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Fresh Strawberry Cake

Yield: 3 layered, 8 inch cake

Author: Elisabeth & Butter

Prep time: 45 MCook time: 25 MTotal time: 70 M

Ingredients:

For the Cake

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened to room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup strawberry puree*
• Red food coloring, if desired 

For the Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 lbs confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4-1/2 cup ground freeze dried strawberries

Instructions:

For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three, 8″ cake pans. I grease them with shortening and then dust it with flour all around. You can also use a non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and oil together on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until super light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add egg whites and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, no more or your egg whites will change the consistency of the batter.
4. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. In a blender or food processor, puree fresh strawberries until smooth and until you have 1/2 cup. Add this to a liquid measuring cup with the milk. 
6. Add about one third of the flour to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Add about half of the milk/strawberry puree to the batter and beat until incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
8. Continue alternating the flour and milk, ending with the flour mixture. Do not overmix. If you want it to be more pink in color, add a drop or two of red food coloring to the batter.
9. Divide the batter into the three greased pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then on a cooling rack until completely cooled. 

For the Frosting

1. In a food processor or blender, grind 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries until you have 1/4-1/2 cup of it ground. 
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and cream cheese on medium high speed for about 3 minutes, making it light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. Slowly add the confectioners sugar and freeze dried strawberries and then beat it on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until light, fluffy and creamy. If you want it to be light pink, only add 1/4 cup of the strawberries and if you want it to be brighter, add more. If it’s too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk.
4. Frost the cake and top with strawberries!

Notes:

I used a large and small star tip to make the roses on top of the cake!

Created using The Recipes Generator