Strawberries and Cream Cake
Strawberries and Cream Cake – strawberry cake layers with fresh strawberries in a whipped cream filling and strawberry buttercream.
Studio 5 at Hale Centre Theater
Good morning, friends! I’m so excited to start the week with a new recipe. And not just that, but we’re starting the week with a new episode of Studio 5 too! If you remember from my Insta stories last week, this is a special episode that was taped in front of an audience of over 300 people on the set of the Steel Magnolia play at Hale Centre Theater.
I love the Studio 5 family and was so honored to be invited to this very special taping. Of course, the theme of the show was Steel Magnolias and the 80’s. Seriously so fun!
The team left it up to me to decide which cake to create and share. I thought about a lot of popular southern cakes, but while I was working on my Neapolitan Cake last week, I took one bite of my strawberry cake layers and knew it would be the perfect cake for the show. How perfectly does it fit with this iconic scene from the movie:
Truvy: What are your colors, Shelby?
Shelby: They’re blush and bashful.
M’Lynn: Her colors are pink and pink.
Shelby: My colors are blush and bashful, Mama.
Do you remember that scene! I love when M’Lynn calls her out and says, “her colors are PINK and PINK!”
Strawberries and Cream Cake
You may remember from my last post that these strawberry cake layers are a bit different from my other strawberry cake. This new strawberry cake has a more natural strawberry flavor, thanks to the freeze dried strawberries and strawberry puree reduction.
I’ve also added freeze dried strawberries to the buttercream. One thing to keep in mind is that the freeze dried strawberries tend to thicken the buttercream. To offset this, I’ve reduced the powdered sugar and added more heavy whipping cream. If you find that you’re buttercream is still too thick, I’d recommend adding more heavy whipping cream and beating it a little longer.
Between the layers, I made a whipped cream filling, stabilized with gelatin (much like my Ding Dong Cake). I’ve also added fresh strawberries.
You can catch a full demo on Studio 5 today at 11 am MST.
Helpful Hints:
- Don’t forget to preheat your oven for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Leave your refrigerated ingredients out for about an hour before you start baking. Room temperature wet ingredients are better absorbed by your dry ingredients, which helps your cake to rise more evenly.
- Make things ahead of time! Cake layers store great in the freezer, wrapped well in plastic wrap.
- If you want to pipe your cake like I did, you’ll want to make an extra half batch of the frosting.
Strawberries and Cream Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE STRAWBERRY CAKE
- 1 1/2 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/3 cup (72.6 g) vegetable or canola oil
- 4 eggs
- 3 egg whites
- 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla
- 2 tsp (4 g) baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups (287.5 g) cake flour
- 2 oz freeze dried strawberries measured and then pulverized into a powder
- 1/2 tsp (2.8 g) salt
- 1 cup (232 g) strawberry puree reduction about 3 cups chopped strawberries, pureed and simmered over the stove to thicken and reduce to 1 cup
WHIPPED CREAM FILLING
- 2 cups ( 462 g) heavy cream cold divided
- 3 tablespoons (44.3 g) cold water
- 1 tablespoon (9.25 g) unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup (62.5 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract `
- Fresh strawberries
FOR THE STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- 1/4 cup (40 g) freeze dried strawberries pulverized and then measured
- 1/3 cup (76 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. strawberry jam
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
- *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
Instructions
FOR THE STRAWBERRY CAKE
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment. Spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and freeze dried strawberries. Set aside.
- In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and butter for about 2 minutes. Add the oil and beat for another 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, and mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low, alternatively add the flour mixture with the strawberry puree, starting and finishing with the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
- Evenly divide the batter between the three pans, about 16 ounces in each.
- Bake the cake layers for about 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM FILLING
- In a small bowl, place the cold water and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, bring 1/3 cup heavy cream to a simmer and then stir in the gelatin mixture. Refrigerate, stirring frequently, until cool but not set, about 5-7 minutes.
- In a chilled stainless steel bowl with a chilled whisk attachment, beat the remaining whipping cream, icing sugar, and vanilla until it thickens and soft peaks begin to form, about 1 to 2 minutes. Very gradually add the gelatin mixture and continue beating until medium-firm peaks form.
- Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.
FOR THE STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes. This will soften the butter without it having to be warm.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
- Add the freeze dried strawberries and strawberry jam.
- With mixer on medium speed, add whipping cream, and vanilla.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.
ASSEMBLY
- Spread a small dollop of frosting on your cake board. This will act like glue to hold your cake in place.
- Place your first cake layer, top side up, on your cake board. Pipe a rim of strawberry buttercream around the edge of the cake.
- Spread about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream filling over the cake. Placed diced strawberries on the whipped cream and pat into place with your hand. Spread another 1/2 cup of the whipped cream filling over the strawberries.
- Place the next cake layer on top of the filling and repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Set your final cake layer, top side down, on your second layer of filling. Apply a thin crumb coat over your entire cake. This does not need to look pretty or be even. This coat of frosting is simply to lock in the crumbs. Freeze your cake for about 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- After the crumb coat is set, finish frosting your cake.
- I used the Wilton #125 petal tip for my design. If you want to do this design on your cake, you'll need an additional 1/2 of the buttercream recipe.
Courtney, what is Icing sugar? And where do you buy it? Some people say it’s powdered sugar
Yes it’s the same.
How would you recommend storing this cake if made ahead? Does the whipped cream freeze and defrost well?
I haven’t tried freezing this one yet, but I did freeze my Ding Dong cake with the same filing and it worked well.
Hi! I love this recipe!! I would like to try it for my wedding cake!!.. but I have to know if I can cover it with fondant and if the filling is enough firm to hold the weight of the fondant…I don’t want a chubby cake, hahahaha thank you!!
I think the gelatin helps stabilize it well but I haven’t ever tried fondant on it so I’m not totally sure.
Are the ounce measurements ounces in weight?
Yes
Courtney when you say icing sugar is that the same as powdered sugar?
Yes 🙂
Hi Courtney, I would love to try out this cake and was wondering if you have the ingredients measurements in grams? I am from Singapore 😊
I don’t yet. I’m sorry. Maybe google has a conversion?
Hello,
I really want to make this cake, but I do not understand the freeze dried and then pulverized strawberry part, would you please explain more :/
Thank You so much!
So the freeze dried strawberries are someething you can get at the grocery store. You’ll then pulverize them in a blender or food processor.
Can you put whole freeze dried strawberries into a cake? (Asking because I didn’t realize they needed to be powderized before pouring them into the batter)
It won’t have the same flavor. It will be more like a vanilla cake with chunks of strawberries.
Hey Courtney! I was wondering if it would be okay if I replaced the freeze-dry strawberries with fresh strawberries in the buttercream? Thanks!
You can but be careful – fresh strawberries have water content and that can separate your buttercream. I’d make a strawberry puree and thicken it a bit over the stove.
Hi! I’m making this cake for my daughter’s birthday in a couple days. I wanted to make the whipped cream filling ahead of time, if possible. Do you know how long it would last in the fridge before putting it on the cake?
About a week in the fridge is ok!
Hi Courtney – can you provide a link to this perfectly sweet cake stand?
Hi! Check out my bakers wish list under supplies. It’s linked in there!
Can i use all purpose flour instead of cake flour?
You can but you’ll need to do an extra step.
For one cup of AP flour, take out two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons cornstarch. Then sift the mixture at least six times. You need to get the mixture as fine as actual cake flour, so don’t skip this step.
Going to make this for my three year old’s birthday next week! How well would the whipped cream filling hold after assembling the cake?
If you aren’t serving it that day, wrap in saran and put in the freezer!
Hi Courtney, do you think it would work to use strawberry emulsion instead of the freeze dried strawberries in both the cake and buttercream? Also, you’re awesome. Thanks!
Sure!
Hi courtney, This is amazing cake. I want to make it on my daughters birthday. Just wanted to know can i adapt the same receipe for raspberry. Also if using powdered raspberry how much do i need to use? Pkease let me know. Thanks in advance.
Same amount!
Thank you so much for your reply Courtney.
One last doubt can I add fresh or frozen raspberrues in batter. Thank you.
Hi! I’ve never purchased or used freeze dried strawberries. Do you have a brand you buy? Or a link to where I can get them? Thank you!!
There is a great brand at Target!
I’m trying to decide between this one and the strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting (for my daughter’s first birthday)–help please!
Can the freeze-dried strawberries be substituted in any way? Possibly with more strawberry reduction?
It can but but will change the consistnecy of the cake.
Can the whipped filling be used for an icing ?
No.