The Best Homemade Strawberry Cake (Birthday Cake)
This cake is made with freeze-dried strawberries in both the cake and cream cheese frosting for a balanced strawberry flavor. Perfect for stacking into a tall layer cake with its sturdy yet cotton-soft crumb!
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- 3 8-inch Round Pans
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberries
- 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2.5 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 1.5 cups whole milk at room temperature
- 7 large egg whites at room temperature
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1.5 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3-5 drops pink food coloring e.g., Americolor Gel Food Color Electric Pink
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature or cool
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese cool or straight from the fridge
- 1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberries
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
Strawberry Simple Syrup (optional)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh strawberry puree strained to remove seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 3 8-inch round pans and line with parchment paper.
- Process freeze-dried strawberries into powder.
- In a mixer, combine freeze-dried strawberry powder, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk milk, egg whites, oil, vanilla, and vinegar.
- Gradually add softened butter to the dry ingredients, mixing until crumbly.
- Slowly combine milk mixture in three stages, mixing until fluffy and silky.
- Divide batter into prepared pans and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- For frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth, then add strawberry powder and salt.
- Gradually mix in powdered sugar until fluffy, adjusting consistency with cream or milk.
- Prepare optional syrup by boiling water and sugar, mixing with strawberry puree, and cooling.
- Chill cake layers before assembling. Brush with syrup if desired, frost, and garnish.
Notes
Chilling the cake layers helps frost them cleanly. Store in the refrigerator before serving, as frosting is soft.