Rating: 3 stars
8 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 2
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 1
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 2

This vibrant pink layer cake is pure strawberry-on-strawberry goodness, with fresh strawberries going into the cake batter and frosting. One thing to note about the buttercream frosting—it is absolutely bursting with berry flavor, but is easily over-mixed. If you find you've broken your emulsion when whipping this frosting up, no worries. You can simply mix in a little more powdered sugar to restore it. That said, we love how purely strawberry-forward the flavor of this frosting is, so we'd advise being very light-handed when adding extra powdered sugar, as it will dilute the berry flavor. In our opinion, it's better to have a slightly broken frosting that tastes like strawberries than a perfectly pristine frosting that tastes like sugar. 

Recipe by MyRecipes February 2017

Gallery

Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe Summary

active:
55 mins
total:
2 hrs 10 mins
Yield:
Serves 12 (serving size: 1 slice)
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Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat sugar and butter with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time; beat on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

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  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add to sugar mixture alternately with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat on low speed just until combined after each addition. Fold in strawberries and red food coloring.

  • Divide batter evenly among 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

  • Cool cakes in pans on wire racks until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks to cool completely, about 1 hour.

  • Prepare the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting: Beat butter with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add strawberries, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt; beat just until smooth.

  • Assemble the Cake: Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate; spread with an even layer of Strawberry Buttercream Frosting. Repeat 2 times with 2 cake layers and frosting. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

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