The JamPacked Easy Strawberry Layer Cake Summer in Every Slice

Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

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Preparation time:25 Mins

Cooking time:35 Mins

Servings:12 generous slices

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups Fresh Strawberries (hulling and pureeing)
• ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (for macerating strawberries)
• 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
• 1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar (for cake)
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt (fine sea salt preferred)
• ½ cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature, cubed)
• 3 Large Eggs (room temperature)
• ¾ cup Whole Milk or Buttermilk (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Unsalted Butter (for frosting, softened)
• 8 ounces Full-Fat Cream Cheese (cold)
• 3 ½ cups Powdered Sugar (sifted)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (for frosting)
• ⅛ teaspoon Pinch of Salt (for frosting)
• Fresh Strawberries (for garnish)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper circles.
• Make Puree: Roughly chop strawberries, toss with ¼ cup sugar, and let sit for 10 minutes (macerate). Blend until smooth. Measure out ½ cup of this puree; set the rest aside.
• Whisk together the flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• Add the room temperature butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
• Whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla together in a separate jug.
• Gradually add about two-thirds of the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
• Gently fold in the reserved ½ cup of strawberry puree until the batter is uniform in colour. Do not overmix!
• Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.
• Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
• Make the Frosting: Beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the cold cream cheese and beat until just combined and smooth.
• Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low, then increase speed until light and fluffy. Add salt.
• Assemble: Place the first cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting. Top with the second layer.
• Frost the top and sides smoothly or in a rustic swirl. Decorate with fresh sliced strawberries before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories:362 kcal

Protein:3.4 g

Fat:0.7 g

Carbs:44.8 g

Fiber:2.0 g

Sugar:0.0 g

Sodium:3402 mg

Recipe Info

Category:Dessert

Cuisine:British

Why This Effortless Strawberry Sponge Steals the Show

There are few things that capture the essence of summer quite like a vibrant, flavour-packed strawberry cake. Forget those overly sweet, artificially coloured versions; we are aiming for authentic, sun-ripened deliciousness in every bite. This Easy Strawberry Cake recipe is meticulously designed not just to taste incredible, but to make the process enjoyable, too. Whether you’re a seasoned baker looking for a reliable weeknight dessert or someone new to the world of from-scratch baking, this recipe delivers a stunning result with minimal stress. It truly is the quintessential Summer Strawberry Cake Recipes contribution to your repertoire, offering a beautiful pink hue and intense berry flavour derived entirely from real fruit, not flavourings.

Unpacking the Magic: What Makes This Berry Bake Truly Simple

The inherent beauty of this Easy Strawberry Cake From Scratch lies in its brilliant simplicity. We bypass fussy techniques that often plague classic layer cakes, embracing methods that guarantee moisture and flavour without demanding perfect creaming times or complex folding motions. This approach means you spend less time worrying about technique and more time anticipating that first perfect slice.

Setting the Stage for Sunday Baking Success

To ensure a smooth baking journey, preparation is key, though we keep it minimal. We will be using two 8-inch round cake tins, lined meticulously with parchment paper circles—a small detail that saves a great deal of heartache later! Preheat your oven to 350° F ( 175° C) and ready your equipment. Our total time estimate is roughly 2 hours 30 minutes, but remember, the majority of that is hands-off cooling time. This forgiving nature is what truly defines an Easy Strawberry Cake Recipe .

The Secret to Incredibly Moist Texture, Minus the Fuss

How do we achieve such a tender crumb? It’s all down to the fruit preparation. We start by roughly chopping 1 ½ cups of fresh strawberries and tossing them with ¼ cup of sugar to encourage them to macerate, releasing their natural juices. This mixture is then blended into a smooth puree. We reserve about half a cup of this intensely flavoured puree to incorporate directly into the batter. This fruit liquid doesn't just add flavour; it acts as a liquid fat replacement in part, ensuring the final crumb is exceptionally Moist Strawberry Cake .

Visualizing Your Perfect, Pink Summer Delight

The visual impact of this cake is immediate and intoxicating. The strawberry puree bleeds naturally through the white batter, resulting in that gorgeous, subtle pink shade associated with genuine berry baking. Combined with a light, tangy topping—which we will create later—this cake looks every bit as professional as it tastes, proving that baking from scratch doesn't require advanced culinary degrees.

Gathering Your Core Components for the Easy Strawberry Cake

A successful bake relies on quality ingredients treated correctly. While this is an Easy Strawberry Cake , using room-temperature elements for the sponge helps ensure they emufy smoothly, yielding a lighter structure.

Essential Tools for A Flawless Batter Assembly

For the process of How To Make Strawberry Cake , you’ll need reliable equipment. A standard electric mixer (either handheld or stand mixer) will handle the mixing, while a food processor or immersion blender is necessary to liquefy those beautiful berries into the essential puree. Beyond that, two 8-inch cake tins, parchment paper, and a sturdy rubber spatula for gentle folding are your main allies.

The Full Inventory: From Flour to Freshly Puréed Strawberries

For the cake itself, we require 2 ¼ cups of sifted all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups of sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and a scant ½ teaspoon of salt for balance. The wet components involve 3 large eggs, ¾ cup of room temperature milk (or buttermilk for a slight tang), 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and the crucial ½ cup of our homemade strawberry puree.

Pro-Tip: Choosing the Right Fresh Berries for Maximum Impact

When selecting your strawberries, look for deep red, fragrant fruit. Aromatic berries will translate directly into better flavour in the final cake. Since we are blending them, don't worry too much about cosmetic imperfections, but prioritize scent and ripeness. The fresher the berry, the more authentic your flavour will be in this Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberries .

Stocking Up on Cream Cheese & Butter for the Tangy Topping

No strawberry cake is complete without a proper foil to the sweetness, and that comes in the form of our luscious topping. For this, you'll need ½ cup of softened butter and a full 8 ounces (one block) of full-fat cream cheese. We will also need 3 ½ cups of sifted powdered sugar and another teaspoon of vanilla extract to build our signature Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting .

Mastering the Oven Prep and Dry Mixture Integration

With your fruit macerating and your pans prepared, we move into building the structure of the cake. We adopt a slightly unconventional but highly effective mixing method here. After whisking your dry ingredients—flour, the bulk of the sugar, baking powder, and salt—together, you will add the cubes of room-temperature butter directly into this dry mix. Using the mixer on low speed, blend this until the mixture resembles coarse sand. This technique effectively coats the flour particles in fat, which inhibits gluten development, ensuring a tender crumb rather than a chewy one.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving Vibrant Strawberry Infusion

Once the dry mix is coated in fat, it’s time to introduce the liquids. In a separate jug, whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla together. You will add about two-thirds of this liquid mixture to your sandy base, mixing only until it just comes together. This is crucial: gentle mixing prevents toughness. Now comes the magic moment for flavour infusion. Gently fold in the reserved ½ cup of strawberry puree. Use your spatula for this step, incorporating it just until the batter shows a uniform, lovely pink hue. Overmixing at this stage will deflate the air pockets created earlier and deflate the precious moisture from the puree. Divide the batter evenly between your prepared tins and slide them into the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Assembling and Frosting Your Crowd-Pleasing Creation

Once baked through—testable by a skewer coming out clean—allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period prevents tearing. While they cool, we tackle the glorious topping.

Techniques for Perfectly Creaming Butter and Sugars

To create the frosting, start by beating the softened butter until it is light and fluffy. Here’s a key trick for Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting : add the cream cheese while it is still cold . Beat them together just until combined. Adding cold cream cheese to the soft butter prevents the final frosting from becoming too slack or oily; it maintains structure beautifully. Once smooth, gradually incorporate the sifted powdered sugar until you achieve the desired consistency, adding a tiny pinch of salt to cut through the richness.

Incorporating the Fruit Puree Without Deflating the Batter

Wait until the cake layers are completely cool before frosting. If you try to frost a warm cake, you risk a catastrophic melt-down! When you are ready to assemble, place the first layer down, and spread an even, generous layer of the cream cheese frosting. This acts as both filling and adhesive.

The Gentle Art of Layering and Crumb-Coating the Cake

Top with the second layer. For a professional finish, many bakers swear by the crumb coat: apply a very thin layer of frosting over the entire cake—top and sides—to trap any loose crumbs. Chill this layer for about 15 minutes, then apply the final, thicker layer of frosting. Decorate simply with perfectly sliced fresh strawberries for maximum impact.

Troubleshooting and Next-Level Twists for Your Strawberry Bake

While this is an Easy Strawberry Cake , sometimes questions arise, or you might simply want to elevate the experience further.

Flavor Boosters: How to Intensify the Natural Strawberry Taste

If you find your berries are mild, a brilliant trick is to add the zest of half a lemon into the cake batter alongside the wet ingredients. The citrus acts as a natural flavour amplifier, making the strawberry notes pop without tasting overtly lemony. Another advanced move is adding a teaspoon of high-quality balsamic vinegar to the puree before blending; it deepens the berry’s profile beautifully, adding a subtle, rich complexity.

Making Adaptations: Converting This Easy Strawberry Cake to Cupcakes

This simple batter translates wonderfully into individual portions. Simply reduce the baking time to about 18– 20 minutes when using standard cupcake liners, checking for doneness halfway through. This allows for a delightful way to serve an Easy Strawberry Cake at parties or picnics.

Keeping Layers Moist: Optimal Refrigeration and Serving Temperatures

Because this cake contains fresh fruit puree and cream cheese frosting, it benefits from refrigeration. However, cake texture suffers when too cold. For the best flavour and texture, remove the cake from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before serving. This allows the fats in the butter and cream cheese to soften slightly, ensuring the crumb retains its intended moist structure.

Preserving the Freshness: Storage Secrets Revealed

Store any leftovers of this delicious Moist Strawberry Cake in an airtight container. If refrigerated, it will remain fresh and beautiful for up to four days. If you only have a half-eaten portion, placing toothpicks dipped in water around the cut edges and covering them lightly can help prevent those exposed areas from drying out overnight. Enjoy the sweet reward of your minimal effort!