This Strawberry Cake Gets 50,000 Orders a Year

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Yields: 12 servings

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Cooking spray

• 3

  (0.8-ounce) packages freeze-dried strawberries

• 3 1/2 c.

  cups bleached cake flour, spooned and leveled

• 1 lb.

  fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

• 1 c.

  (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 2 1/4 c.

  granulated sugar

• 1/2 c.

  canola oil

• 2 tsp.

  pure vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp.

  baking powder

• 3/4 tsp.

  baking soda

• 3/4 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 5

  large egg whites, at room temperature

• Red food coloring, if desired

For the strawberry-cream cheese frosting:

• 1

  (0.8-ounce) packages freeze-dried strawberries

• 1 c.

  (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 2

  (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

• 6 c.

  confectioners’ sugar

• 2 tsp.

  pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp.

  kosher salt

• Red food coloring, if desired

Directions

1. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 3 (8-inch) cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Process freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until finely ground into a powder, about 30 seconds. Whisk together ground strawberries and flour in a bowl. Puree fresh strawberries in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.

2. Beat butter, sugar, oil, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with an electric mixer
   on medium speed until very white, thickened, and creamy, 4 to 6 minutes. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition, scraping bowl as needed.
   

3. Beat in flour mixture alternately with strawberry puree, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until just combined. Beat in 1 or 2 drops of food coloring, if desired. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and stir with a spatula to make sure batter is evenly mixed. Transfer to prepared pans, dividing evenly.

4. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes,
   then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

5. Make the frosting: Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until finely chopped, 16 to 18 times. Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and chopped freeze-dried strawberries until incorporated. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla, salt, and food coloring, if desired.

6. Spoon 2 cups frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Place 1 cake layer on a plate or cake stand; spread 1 cup frosting over top. Repeat with second cake layer, then top with third cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate frosting in piping bag, cake, and remaining frosting 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Pipe rosettes in alternating directions along base and top of cake. Serve immediately.
   
   

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