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Fluffy Strawberry Cake with Easy Homemade Strawberry Frosting

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This fluffy strawberry cake is made with real strawberries for a naturally pink, moist crumb and topped with a creamy homemade strawberry buttercream frosting. It’s a crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for birthdays, spring brunches, or any occasion that calls for a sweet, nostalgic treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound (450g) fresh strawberries, hulled, plus extra for garnish
  • 2 1/2 cups (310g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2g) baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2g) salt
  • 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk, room temperature (or 3/4 cup milk + 2 teaspoons lemon juice, let sit 5 min)
  • 1/2 pound (225g) fresh strawberries, hulled (for frosting)
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted (for frosting)
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • Pinch of salt (for frosting)

Instructions

  1. Prep the Strawberries: Rinse and hull 1 1/2 pounds (675g) fresh strawberries. Set aside 1/2 pound (225g) for the frosting. Place 1 pound (450g) strawberries in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the puree into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until reduced by half (about 2/3 cup). Let cool completely.
  2. Prepare Cake Pans & Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly flour the sides.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
  5. Add Eggs & Vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
  6. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk and the cooled, reduced strawberry puree.
  7. Finish the Batter: On low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the strawberry-buttermilk mixture (start and end with dry ingredients). Mix just until combined.
  8. Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking.
  9. Cool Completely: Let cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Peel off parchment and cool completely before frosting.
  10. Make the Strawberry Frosting: Puree the remaining 1/2 pound strawberries, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds (about 1/3 cup puree). In a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low. Add strawberry puree, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Adjust consistency with more powdered sugar or a teaspoon of milk/puree as needed.
  11. Assemble & Frost: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting on top. Set the second cake layer on top and frost the top and sides. Decorate with fresh strawberry slices or as desired.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature ingredients and reduce the strawberry puree until thick and jammy. Do not overmix the batter. Cool cakes completely before frosting. For a gluten-free or dairy-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and plant-based dairy substitutes. The cake flavor deepens after a day. Unfrosted layers can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry cake, homemade strawberry frosting, fluffy cake, spring dessert, birthday cake, easy cake recipe, real strawberries, pink cake, buttercream, summer dessert

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/fluffy-strawberry-cake-recipe-easy-homemade-strawberry-frosting/