Strawberry Pretzel Delight Cake

4.86 from 14 votes

Tender yellow cake layers with strawberry buttercream and a pretzel crunch filling.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Cake

Keyword: Intermediate, Pretzel, Strawberry Buttercream, Strawberry Pretzel Delight Cake, Yellow Cake

Servings:

1/2 cup (62.5 g) cup milk powder
1/4 cup (30 g) crushed pretzels you want these finely crushed, I used a food processor
2 tbsp (16.9 g) cornstarch
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
4 tbsp (56.5 g) unsalted butter melted
1/4 cup (31.25 g) milk powder
1/4 cup (14 g) crushed freeze dried strawberries
3 oz white chocolate chips melted

2 cups (456 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
5 cups (500 g) powdered sguar measured then sifted
1/4 cup (14 g) finely ground freeze dried strawberries
1/4 cup (59.25 g) strawberry jam
1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
1 tsp (4.2 g) 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.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and canola oil on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the eggs and egg yolks, in a few additions, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Add the vanilla and butter extracts. Continue to beat for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream in three additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low, just until flour is combined.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
Let cool completely before using.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, combine 1/2 cup milk powder, pretzel crumbs, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Toss with your hands to mix. Add the melted butter and toss, using a spatula or spoon, until the mixture starts to come together and form small clusters.
Spread the clusters on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Cool the crumbs completely.
Crumble any clusters that are larger than 1/2 inch in diameter, and put the crumbs back in the medium bowl. Add the 1/4 cup milk powder and toss together until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Pour the melted white chocolate over the crumbs and toss until your clusters are covered. Add the freeze dried strawberries and toss to distribute. Continue tossing them every five minutes until the white chocolate hardens and the clusters are no longer sticky. The crumbs will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to 1 month.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 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 powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
Add the freeze dried strawberries and the strawberry jam, and stir to combine.
With mixer on medium speed, add heavy whipping cream and vanilla.
Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. The buttercream will become lighter in color and texture.

Place the first cake layer, top side up, in the center of a cake board or cake plate.
Evenly spread about 1 cup of buttercream across the cake layer.
Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the pretzel crunch over the buttercream and pat into place with your hand.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 with second cake layer. Place final cake layer, top side down, on second layer of filling.
Cover the cake with a thin coat of buttercream and then freeze the entire cake for 15 minutes.
Once the crumb coat is set, continue decorating the cake with the remaining buttercream.