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Cake is a pivotal part of any birthday celebration! However, I am not the type to use a box of strawberry cake mix (I don’t like the flavor). Even if it’s not my birthday I’m baking for, and let’s be honest it rarely is, I like to make people cakes that they will actually like… without the strange flavored extract powders.

This recipe came from a need for a strawberry cake for someone who claimed not to like fresh strawberries. Yeah, it didn’t make sense to me either. But a family member wanted to take it in for a co-worker, so that’s what they got. So, naturally, I took to the internet to research and all I came back with was many older recipes for white cake with strawberries on top.

Instead of doing that, I made a puree and used it as the food coloring and part of the liquid for the cake. With the birthday co-worker not liking fresh strawberries a fruit topping was out of the question. But you know what they did like? Chocolate jimmies. So, it got filled with buttercream frosting and chocolate jimmies.

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Old-Fashioned Strawberry Cake

Author: Jessica Courses: Cake, Sweets & Treats

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 35 mins Cook Time 55 mins Rest Time 20 mins Total Time 1 hr 50 mins

Cooking Temp: 350  F

Description

A delicious pink cake made with fresh strawberries.

Ingredients

Servings

Cake

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1-¹⁄₂ cups sugar
• 2 whole eggs (room temperature)
• 1 egg white (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-¹⁄₂ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2-¹⁄₂ pounds fresh strawberries

Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 brick cream cheese (8-ounce, softened)
• 9 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons strawberry puree

Instructions

1. Make the strawberry puree: Rinse the strawberries, remove the stems and roughly chop them. Puree the strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Once pureed, there should be about 2-1/2 cups of liquid. Transfer the strawberry puree into a small saucepan. Turn the heat on the stovetop to low and allow the puree to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until reduced. Transfer the reduction to a bowl and chill it in the fridge until completely cool.
2. Prep the cake pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray or butter. Cut out a circular piece of parchment paper to place in the bottom of each pan to prevent sticking.
3. Make the strawberry cake batter: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
4. Cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (This is how to cream butter and sugar.) Mix in the two whole eggs and one egg white, along with the vanilla extract.
5. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add half of the milk. Add in another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining milk and then the remaining flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup of strawberry puree, leaving the remaining puree for the frosting.
6. Mix in red gel food coloring, if a stronger pink color is desired.
7. Bake the cakes: Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven. Allow the cakes to cool for 20 minutes before removing them from the cake pans. Set aside on a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. Make the strawberry frosting: Cream the softened butter and cream cheese until well combined and fluffy. Mix in 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, along with 2 tablespoons of milk. Continue to mix in the powdered sugar, alternating with the strawberry puree. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. With all of the powdered sugar added and the frosting coming together, turn the speed up on the mixture to whip until fluffy.
9. Assemble your strawberry cake: Place one cooled cake round on a cake stand or plate. Spread frosting over the cake round and then place the second cake round on top. Frost the rest of the cake with the strawberry frosting, covering the sides and top. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.

This old-fashioned strawberry cake is perfect for any occasion! It takes the cake over a box mix or store-bought cake as far as flavor goes. So, make this cake for your next special occasion; or any day of the week to celebrate you. Happy Baking!

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Old-Fashioned Strawberry Cake

A delicious pink cake made with fresh strawberries.

Author: Jessica Courses: Cake, Sweets & Treats

Print Recipe

Prep Time 35 mins Cook Time 55 mins Rest Time 20 mins Total Time 1 hr 50 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Cooking Temp: 350  F

Ingredients

Servings

Cake

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1-¹⁄₂ cups sugar
• 2 whole eggs (room temperature)
• 1 egg white (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-¹⁄₂ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2-¹⁄₂ pounds fresh strawberries

Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 brick cream cheese (8-ounce, softened)
• 9 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons strawberry puree

Instructions

1. Make the strawberry puree: Rinse the strawberries, remove the stems and roughly chop them. Puree the strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Once pureed, there should be about 2-1/2 cups of liquid. Transfer the strawberry puree into a small saucepan. Turn the heat on the stovetop to low and allow the puree to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until reduced. Transfer the reduction to a bowl and chill it in the fridge until completely cool.
2. Prep the cake pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray or butter. Cut out a circular piece of parchment paper to place in the bottom of each pan to prevent sticking.
3. Make the strawberry cake batter: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
4. Cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (This is how to cream butter and sugar.) Mix in the two whole eggs and one egg white, along with the vanilla extract.
5. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add half of the milk. Add in another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining milk and then the remaining flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup of strawberry puree, leaving the remaining puree for the frosting.
6. Mix in red gel food coloring, if a stronger pink color is desired.
7. Bake the cakes: Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven. Allow the cakes to cool for 20 minutes before removing them from the cake pans. Set aside on a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. Make the strawberry frosting: Cream the softened butter and cream cheese until well combined and fluffy. Mix in 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, along with 2 tablespoons of milk. Continue to mix in the powdered sugar, alternating with the strawberry puree. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. With all of the powdered sugar added and the frosting coming together, turn the speed up on the mixture to whip until fluffy.
9. Assemble your strawberry cake: Place one cooled cake round on a cake stand or plate. Spread frosting over the cake round and then place the second cake round on top. Frost the rest of the cake with the strawberry frosting, covering the sides and top. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.