Strawberry Velvet Cake (Printable)
Moist strawberry-infused cake layered with fresh purée and topped with creamy frosting for an elegant dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Strawberry Velvet Cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups cake flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
05 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup fresh strawberry purée
08 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
10 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 2–3 drops red or pink gel food coloring (optional)
→ Strawberry Purée
13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
14 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional)
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
15 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
16 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
17 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
18 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
19 - 1/4 cup strawberry purée
→ Decoration
20 - Fresh strawberries, halved or sliced
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Blend strawberries and sugar in blender or food processor until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup for cake batter and 1/4 cup for frosting.
03 - In medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
04 - In large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
05 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
06 - Mix in strawberry purée and food coloring, if using, until evenly distributed.
07 - Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to wet mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
08 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
09 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
10 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and strawberry purée until well combined.
11 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread layer of frosting on top. Add second cake layer and coat top and sides with remaining frosting.
12 - Decorate with fresh strawberries. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean layers.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly soft, almost like eating a strawberry scented cloud
- That cream cheese frosting strikes the perfect balance between tangy and sweet
- It looks stunning but comes together without any fancy techniques or equipment
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend together smoothly, while cold ones create tiny lumps that affect texture
- Overmixing once the flour is added develops gluten, making the cake tough instead of tender
- The cake must be completely cool before frosting or the frosting will melt right off
03 -
- For extra strawberry intensity, add a teaspoon of freeze dried strawberry powder to the dry ingredients
- Chill your frosted cake for 15 minutes before slicing to get those picture perfect clean layers