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Slices of the Strawberry Cake sit on a marble plate with fresh strawberries.
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5 from 2 votes

Strawberry Cake - A Little Slice of Heaven

This Strawberry Cake features the easiest, best white cake you'll ever make teamed with an easy to make American buttercream that actually tastes like a strawberry party in your mouth.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Cooling and Assembly2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 22 minutes
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American
Keyword: springtime cake, mother's day, Strawberry Cake
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 550kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Mixer
  • 2 9x2 inch round cake pans
  • Cake comb, optional
  • Piping bag and ½" pastry tip, optional

Ingredients

White Cake

  • 4 large egg whites (128 grams or 4 ½ ounces)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoon almond extract*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups sifted cake flour (300 grams or 10 ½ ounces)
  • 1 ½ cups sugar (300 grams or 10 ½ ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (170 grams or 6 ounces or 1 ½ sticks)

Strawberry Cake Buttercream

  • ½ cup freeze dried strawberries (35 grams or 1.2 ounces)
  • 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar (200 grams or 7 ounces)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams, 4 ounces or 1 stick)
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
  • Red Food Coloring as needed

Amaretto Wash

  • cup water
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams or 1 ¾ ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons Amaretto or any almond liqueur*

Whipped Cream Frosting

  • 2 ½ cups heavy cream
  • ¾ cup unsifted powdered sugar (95 grams or about 3 ¼  ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Assembly of the Strawberry Cake

  • 2 layers white cake
  • Strawberry Buttercream
  • Amaretto Wash
  • Whipped Cream Frosting
  • Fresh Strawberries, optional

Instructions

White Cake:

  • *The flavoring can be 2 teaspoons almond extract, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, half vanilla and half almond extracts as you please.
  • **Note - If you are measuring by cups and not weight the flour measurement calls for you to sift before measuring.  Place a 1 cup dry measure on wax or parchment paper.  Sift the flour into the cup until it is overflowing.  Using a metal spatula, sweep off the excess flour.  Repeat 2 more times.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 9×2” round cake pans with parchment. Spray the center only of each paper.
  • In a bowl, lightly combine the egg whites, ¼ cup milk, almond extract and vanilla.  Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining ¾ cup milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. The batter will be thick and luxurious. Gradually add the egg mixture in thirds, beating about 30 seconds each time.
  • Divide the dough between the two prepared pans (about 555 grams or 19 ⅓ ounces each).
  • Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a tester comes out clean.   They will be lightly golden brown on top.

Strawberry Cake Buttercream:

  • Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor.  Blend or process until all the strawberries are powdered.
  • Place the strawberries, powdered sugar, butter and almond extract in a mixing bowl.  Add 3 tablespoons of the milk.  Mix on low until blended; turn the mixer on medium high and beat several minutes, scraping often, to increase the volume and lighten the buttercream.
  • Add the additional milk, a bit at a time if needed to facilitate the mixing.  Add the red food coloring as needed to get a pleasing color.
  • It is important to frost the cake several hours before serving as the strawberry buttercream needs time to develop its flavor.  But when it does it is beyond wonderful!

Amaretto Wash:

  • *If not using the Amaretto, increase the water by 3 tablespoons and add 1 teaspoon almond extract off heat.  Follow the directions below.
  • Combine the water and sugar in a small pan.  Bring to a boil.  Wash down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.  Boil for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the Amaretto. Cool.

Whipped Cream Frosting

  • Combine all in the bowl of a mixer.  Mix on medium until it begins to thicken and then raise to high and beat until fairly stiff.

Assembly of the Strawberry Cake

  • Turn the layers upside down and brush each layer with half of the Amaretto Wash. Spread the Strawberry Buttercream on one layer and set the second layer washed side down on top of the buttercream. Reserve about ⅓ of the whipped cream frosting.  Set aside for decorating.
  • Apply about ⅔ of the remaining Whipped Cream Frosting to the side of the cake.  Finish the top with the remaining ⅓ of the cream. Comb the sides if desired. Fit a pastry bag with a ½” tip and pipe swirls around the top edge of the cake with the reserved whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • The white cake is a high ratio cake which, after you gather the ingredients has two basic steps before you bake it. It's actually faster than a box cake to make - and way better tasting.
  • Much of this cake can be made ahead.  The layers can be made and frozen or better yet, they can be filled and frozen.  Thaw, covered, overnight in the refrigerator and finish with whipped cream.  The entire cake, including the whipped cream finish can also be frozen and thawed in the fridge.
  • In any case, it's best to make it a day ahead for the freeze dried strawberries to obtain their maximum strawberry taste.
  • If you want to see if other cakes can be mixed as high ratio cakes, It is important to remember that a cup of granulated sugar or brown sugar is 200 grams or 7 ounces, all-purpose flour is 140 grams or 5 ounces and cake flour is 125 grams or about 4 ¾ ounces.  The flours are unsifted when weighed.
  • Gel colors are preferred to liquid food coloring. It takes more liquid coloring to obtain the same color as gel coloring and adds liquid to the medium which may or may not make a difference.
  • Either 2% or whole milk can be used.To obtain flat layers of cake both the recipe and the cake pan prep is important. For more information, see Cake Pan Prep or How to Get a Flat Cake Layer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 1016IU | Vitamin C: 91mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg