🍰 FRESH STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
A show-stopping double-layer cake bursting with real strawberry flavor, topped with silky cream cheese frosting and fresh berries.
⏱️ KEY INFO:
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (including cooling)
- Servings: 12
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Diet: Vegetarian, Contains dairy & eggs
🔧 EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- 2 x 9-inch round cake pans
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowls
- Saucepan
- Food processor
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula (optional)
📝 INGREDIENTS:
For the Strawberry Reduction:
- 450g (1lb) fresh strawberries, hulled
- 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
For the Cake:
- 360g (3 cups) cake flour
- 300g (1½ cups) granulated sugar
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 170g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 240ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup strawberry reduction
- Optional: 2-3 drops pink food coloring
For the Frosting:
- 450g (16oz) cream cheese, softened
- 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 480g (4 cups) powdered sugar
- Remaining strawberry reduction
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
👩🍳 METHOD:
1. Make Strawberry Reduction:
- Process strawberries until smooth
- Simmer with sugar until reduced by half (25-30 minutes)
- Cool completely
2. Prepare Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C
- Grease and line cake pans
- Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl
- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy (3-4 minutes)
- Add eggs one at a time
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk
- Fold in strawberry reduction
3. Bake:
- Divide batter between pans
- Bake 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes clean
- Cool in pans 10 minutes, then on rack
4. Make Frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth
- Gradually add sugar
- Mix in remaining reduction and vanilla
5. Assemble:
- Level cakes if needed
- Stack with frosting between layers
- Frost top and sides
- Garnish with fresh berries
‼️ CRUCIAL TIPS:
- All ingredients must be room temperature
- Don’t overmix the batter
- Strawberry reduction must be completely cool
- Cake is done when it springs back lightly
🔄 STORAGE:
- Refrigerate up to 5 days
- Freeze unfrosted layers up to 2 months
❌ COMMON MISTAKES:
- Using warm reduction (affects rise)
- Overmixing (makes tough cake)
- Opening oven door while baking
✨ VARIATIONS:
- Add freeze-dried strawberry powder to frosting
- Use strawberry simple syrup between layers
- Convert to cupcakes (bake 18-20 minutes)
This recipe gives you real strawberry flavor without artificial ingredients. The cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the fruity cake layers.
