Easy Strawberry Cake – Eating Bird Food

This straightforward strawberry cake is made with cake flour, contemporary strawberry puree and Greek yogurt. It’s mild and fluffy and topped with a decadent do-it-yourself strawberry buttercream frosting.

I gave a sneak peek of this straightforward strawberry cake over on Instagram a couple of months in the past, as a result of it was too good to not share, however at the moment I’m lastly sharing the total recipe on the weblog!

This recipe is full of contemporary strawberry taste and is made with cake flour, leading to an excellent tender and gentle cake. Plus, we’re utilizing much less sugar and oil than conventional cake recipes so it’s positively EBF-approved.

And let’s not neglect concerning the decadent strawberry buttercream frosting that we’re making from scratch. It’s critically SO GOOD. I can’t wait so that you can attempt it!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s made with better-for-you substances (like avocado oil, Greek yogurt, maple syrup and contemporary strawberry puree) and fewer sugar, making it a more healthy possibility in comparison with conventional truffles.
• This cake is bursting with contemporary strawberry taste because of the strawberry puree within the cake batter and strawberry buttercream frosting!
• It’s a terrific base recipe that may be custom-made with mix-ins and frostings.
• Whether or not it’s a birthday, vacation, or only a weekday dessert, this cake is assured to be a crowd-pleaser!

Baking With Cake Flour

Cake flour is a finely milled flour constructed from gentle wheat that has a decrease protein content material in comparison with all-purpose flour. Cake flour sometimes accommodates round 8% protein whereas all-purpose flour has round 10-12% protein. The decrease protein content material leads to much less gluten formation when blended with liquid, which in the end results in a extra tender and delicate crumb in baked items like truffles.

When utilizing cake flour (I like utilizing King Arthur’s cake flour), baked items will sometimes have a lighter and softer texture. This makes it good for delicate, tender truffles like this strawberry cake. Though all-purpose flour can be utilized in its place on this recipe, utilizing cake flour provides you with the most effective outcomes by way of texture and total high quality. All-purpose flour will lead to an total denser cake.

Components Wanted

• cake flour – the important thing ingredient for a young, mild cake texture. Cake flour has a decrease protein content material than all-purpose flour, leading to much less gluten formation and a fragile crumb.
• baking powder and baking soda – leavening brokers that assist the cake rise and create a fluffy texture.
• salt – brings all of the flavors collectively.
• eggs – what offers this cake construction. Be sure that your eggs are at room temperature earlier than baking this cake. I gained’t get into the science behind it but it surely’s key for a fluffy cake!
• granulated sugar or pure maple syrup – each maple syrup and granulated sugar will work because the sweetener for this cake, maple syrup will simply lead to a darker coloured batter.
• strawberry puree – made by mixing contemporary strawberries till they type a puree, this strawberry puree provides pure sweetness and a pleasant fruity taste to the cake.
• plain full-fat Greek yogurt – provides moisture and not using a ton of oil and helps create a young crumb. I like to recommend utilizing full-fat plain Greek yogurt for the most effective outcomes, however 2% will work simply positive.
• avocado oil – a mild-tasting oil that contributes to the moistness of the cake. You can too use one other impartial oil of your alternative like olive oil or coconut oil. Melted butter may even work.
• vanilla extract – enhances the flavour of this cake and enhances the strawberry taste properly.
• strawberry buttercream frosting – a easy do-it-yourself buttercream frosting made with by whipping collectively softened butter, strawberry puree, vanilla extract and powdered sugar till it’s good and fluffy!

Tips on how to Make

Make strawberry puree: Should you haven’t already made the strawberry puree, wash and hull your contemporary strawberries and add them to a blender and mix till clean and no chunks stay. It is best to find yourself with 1 ¼ cup strawberry puree. Put aside.

Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray and put aside.

Combine dry substances: In a medium mixing bowl, mix the dry substances: cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Put aside.

Whisk moist substances: Add your eggs, sugar or maple syrup, strawberry puree, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract to a big mixing bowl and utilizing a hand mixer whisk on medium-high pace till totally mixed and clean.

Mix: Whereas operating the hand mixer on low pace pour dry substances into moist substances and blend till batter is totally mixed and clean. Simply watch out to not over-mix!

Bake: Pour batter into ready cake pans and bake for 20-23 minutes till an inserted toothpick comes out clear. Enable the cake to chill for 5-10 minutes then take away the cake from the pans and place on a wire rack to chill fully.

Make frosting: Whereas cake is cooling make frosting by whipping butter, vanilla and strawberry puree along with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, whipping on medium pace till totally mixed and creamy.

Frost and serve: As soon as cake is at room temperature frost it. Reduce cake, serve and luxuriate in!

Substitutions & Notes

1. Flour: For the most effective outcomes I like to recommend utilizing cake flour because it gives a lighter, softer texture, however you should utilize all-purpose flour or pastry flour on this recipe if that’s all you have got on cling. Take into account that the feel of the cake might be barely denser.
2. Gluten-free: I examined this cake with Bob’s Pink Mill gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour and it turned out okay, however I had so as to add 1/2 cup extra milk to the batter as a result of it was fairly thick. The cake additionally was a bit of bubbly on high, didn’t rise as a lot and had a barely gummy texture, so I wouldn’t advocate utilizing a gluten-free flour. That mentioned, be at liberty to experiment along with your favourite gluten-free flour and let me know the way it seems for you!
3. Dairy-free: For a dairy-free model, use dairy-free yogurt within the cake batter and vegan butter within the frosting.
4. Vegan: I haven’t tried an alternative choice to the eggs and I wouldn’t advocate it because the eggs give this cake construction.
5. Frosting: My wholesome chocolate frosting, peanut butter Greek yogurt frosting or wholesome cream cheese frosting would all be scrumptious paired with this strawberry cake. You may additionally attempt including some strawberry puree to the wholesome cream cheese frosting for a strawberry cream cheese frosting! Additionally, you may’t go unsuitable with a basic vanilla buttercream frosting. If going the store-bought route, my favourite more healthy store-bought frosting is Easy Mills vanilla frosting.

Utilizing Totally different Measurement Cake Pans or a Cupcake Tin

• 8-inch pans: This batter will make sufficient to fill two 8-inch cake pans. If utilizing two 8-inch pans, bake for 20-23 minutes till golden brown on high and an inserted toothpick comes out clear.
• Cupcakes: You’ll wish to bake these for 15-20 minutes in paper liners. The recipe makes about 15 cupcakes.
• Rectangular pan: Should you desire a sheet cake, you need to have the ability to use a 9×13-inch pan. Remember that the baking time is likely to be shorter or longer, so regulate the cake and take a look at for doneness because it bakes.
• Sq. pan: I haven’t examined it, however I guess you could possibly additionally make this cake in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch sq. pan. I’m undecided concerning the bake time, however I’m guessing 20-Half-hour.

Tips on how to Adorn Strawberry Cake

I like protecting this cake easy with simply the strawberry buttercream frosting and a few contemporary strawberry slices on high, however listed below are another enjoyable concepts of how you could possibly adorn this cake:

• Sprinkles: Add a enjoyable and colourful contact to your strawberry cake by mixing in your favourite sprinkles and including some on high!
• Strawberry jam swirls: Add an additional burst of strawberry taste by swirling some strawberry jam (you should utilize store-bought or make this strawberry chia jam) and swirl some into the frosting.
• Chocolate chips: Scatter some chocolate chips over the frosting for a scrumptious chocolate-strawberry mixture that’s arduous to withstand.
• Contemporary berries: Prepare contemporary strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and/or raspberries on high of the cake for a fantastic, contemporary ornament that additionally provides a burst of fruity taste.

Can You Make This Cake Forward of Time?

Sure! This cake might be made 1-3 days prematurely. To make forward of time, let the cake layers cool fully and retailer them within the fridge, lined till you’re able to assemble and serve. Alternatively, you may frost and adorn the cake and retailer it lined within the fridge till able to serve!

Tips on how to Retailer Leftovers

Retailer any leftover cake in an hermetic container on the counter for 1-2 days or within the fridge for as much as 5 days. I haven’t tried freezing this cake, however I’d think about it could freeze simply positive both frosted or unfrosted. Should you’re making this cake forward of time for a special day and wish to retailer it within the freezer, I’d retailer the person layers individually in an hermetic container or bag (I like my Stasher luggage). The day earlier than you’re able to serve, let the layers thaw within the fridge then assemble and adorn as desired!

Extra Cake Recipes to Strive

You’ll want to try all the dessert recipes right here on EBF!