Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

 

Happy Valentine's Day Eve! Boy, do I have the perfect treat for you to make for your sweetie. This cake will definitely score you some extra brownie points this holiday. Plus it's pink and the strawberries are somewhat heart-shaped, so what more could you ask for??

Fresh strawberries are used throughout this cake to make the texture light with the perfect amount of sweetness. Depending on the consistency of your pureed strawberries, you can have the chunks as big or little as you like. I prefer some chunks throughout the cake, so I tried to leave some texture in them. This strawberry buttercream is the best frosting I've ever had. It's super light and it literally melts in your mouth. The strawberry flavor is apparent, but not too overwhelming. Your sweetheart will love this. Enjoy and have a very happy Valentine's Day!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

 

Cake

• 3 cups fresh and ripe strawberries, washed, stemmed and hulled
• 2 1/3 cups cake flour
• 1 3/4 cups sugar plus 1 tbsp.
• 3 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

• 3 sticks unsalted butter at room temp
• 4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup fresh strawberry puree reserved earlier
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans and set aside.

Sprinkle the strawberries with 1 tbsp. sugar and toss to coat. Set aside for 1 hour. Pulse the strawberries in a food processor until a chunky consistency. Measure 3/4 cup for the batter and reserve 1/3 cup for the butter cream. (The rest is delicious scooped over vanilla ice cream!)

Sift the cake flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and baking powder and blend on low just until combined. Add the butter and 3/4 cup strawberry puree and mix on low until combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg whites and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and mix on low, scraping bowl as needed. Mix on medium a few more seconds until well combined. Place half of the mixture into each cake pan.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool.

When the cake is almost completely cooled, start on the frosting. Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the confectioners sugar about a cup at a time and beat just until blended.

Add the remaining 2/3 cup strawberry puree and vanilla, scrape bowl as needed and beat until the buttercream is light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.

When the cake is completely cooled, spread one layer with buttercream. Put the other layer on top, and continue to spread with buttercream. Chill until ready to serve.

Source: Adapted from Blisfully Delicious