Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cake

1. Place the strawberries in a food processor or blender to puree.
2. Pour the strawberry puree into a saucepan over medium heat and let them reduce to 1 cup. This will take 10 to 15 minutes. If you have more than 1 cup of puree, place it back into the saucepan and cook longer until the reduction is exactly 1 cup.
3. Let the strawberries cool to room temperature.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8 inch round baking pans with cooking spray. Add in 2-3 tablespoons of flour and tap the sides of the pan while rotating it to coat thoroughly with flour. Tap out any excess flour into the garbage.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add in butter and sugar. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed until no lumps of butter remain.
6. Add in the vegetable oil and beat until well incorporated. It won’t be creamy in appearance.
7. Add in the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time. As soon as each one is incorporated, add the next and mix just until each is combined.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, strawberry powder, baking soda, and baking powder.
9. Alternately add the dry ingredients and strawberry puree, starting and ending with flour. Mix on medium speed until combined.
10. Stir in the 4 – 6 drops of gel paste color to get desired strawberry color.
11. Divide the batter into the prepared pans and evenly spread out.
12. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until done. Use a toothpick and insert it into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with moist crumbs, the cake is done. If there is batter on the toothpick, let it go for a little longer and check again.
13. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Frosting

1. Add the strawberries to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the strawberries are pureed.
2. Add the puree into a medium saucepan over medium heat and let it cook down to roughly ½ cup of puree. Mine actually measured out to be ½ cup plus ½ tablespoon. If you have more than that, pop it back into the saucepan and continue to cook it until it’s reduced ½ cup. The time may vary, but it took 22 – 24 minutes for me. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, vanilla extract, and 4 cups of powdered sugar. Beat using a hand mixer on low until most of the powdered sugar is incorporated.
4. Add in half of the strawberry puree and continue to mix until the frosting comes together.
5. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar.
6. Add the remaining strawberry puree to the frosting and mix until thoroughly combined. Beat an additional minute to whip the frosting.

Assemble

1. If the cake is domed, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to level it.
2. Add a small amount of frosting to the center of a cake plate and spread evenly.
3. Place the first layer of cake cut side down on top of the frosting.
4. Add a generous amount of frosting and spread evenly to the edges.
5. Add the second cake layer, cut side down, on top of the frosting.
6. Frost the entire outside of the cake.