Dreamy Strawberry Layer Cake Recipes

ROASTED STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the base and sides of three deep, round 6-inch (15-cm) cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• To make the cake, sift together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl, and set aside. Mix the milk and elderflower cordial in a small bowl and set aside. Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest for 5 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks like it's starting to curdle, add 1 tablespoon (8 g) of the flour mixture. Turn the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture followed by the milk and elderflower. Stir in the remaining flour and divide the batter equally into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes for 35 to 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to firm up.
• To make the purée, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the stems off the strawberries, cut them in half and put them into a baking dish. Toss the fruit with the sugar and vanilla. Roast the strawberries in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once halfway. The strawberries are done once they are soft and fragrant and the juices have turned into a syrup. Leave the strawberries to cool completely before transferring them to a food processor or blender and pulsing until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
• To make the buttercream, add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer or a heatproof bowl. Make sure there are no traces of grease in the bowl as this will stop the meringue from whipping up. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the base doesn't touch the water. Whisk the eggs and sugar constantly until the mixture reaches a temperature of about 150°F (65°C). If you don't have a thermometer, rub a little of the mixture in between your fingers. The eggs should be hot to the touch with all the sugar dissolved.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and start whisking the egg whites on high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with an electric whisk. Beat until the whites are thick and have doubled in volume. Once the bowl is cool to the touch and with the mixer still running, add the butter a piece at a time. The meringue will deflate and will start to look a little runny or curdled. Don't panic-this is normal. Continue beating until you have added in all of the butter and the mixture is smooth and glossy. If after 10 minutes, your meringue buttercream is still soupy, chill it in the fridge for 20 minutes and then beat again. Add about 1/2 cup (125 g) of the strawberry puree and beat the buttercream for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Leave the buttercream at room temperature until you are ready to assemble.
• Unwrap the cakes from the fridge and if any of them are domed, level them with a serrated knife or a cake leveler. All the layers need to be completely flat to ensure you don't end up with a wonky cake. Brush each cake layer with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of elderflower cordial. Place one layer of cake on a cake board and put this board on a turntable, if using. If your buttercream has firmed up, whip it up again in the mixer until smooth. Add a scoop of buttercream and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula, pushing the buttercream right to the edge (it's fine if it spills over). Place the next layer on top of the first, but this time add about 1 tablespoon (8 g) of strawberry purée on top of the buttercream layer, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) clear around the edge. Place the last layer topside down to give you a perfectly flat top.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream. Smooth the edges as much as you can with a bench scraper or palette knife. This is the crumb coat layer that will trap any stray crumbs and act as a base for the next layer. Place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up before adding another layer of buttercream on the top and sides. Fill a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle (I've used Wilton 8B) with any remaining buttercream and pipe swirls across the edge to make a wreath. Top the cake with fresh strawberries, a drizzle of any leftover puree and fresh elderflower (if in season).

STRAWBERRY DREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Make the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease, with shortening, and flour 2 (9-inch) round, 2-inch-deep cake pans. Beat the butter with a heavy-duty stand mixer at medium speed until fluffy; gradually add the sugar, beating well. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
• Beat the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold about one-third of the egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites in 2 batches. Spoon batter into prepared cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, cut a thin slice from stem end of each of 20 to 25 whole strawberries to form a flat base; set strawberries aside.
• Make the Dreamy Whipped Frosting: Gently stir together the mascarpone cheese and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Beat whipping cream and vanilla and almond extracts with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream mixture into cheese mixture; gently fold in remaining whipped cream mixture in 2 batches.
• Place 1 cooled cake layer on a cake plate or serving platter; spread top with 3/4 cup of the frosting. Working from the outer edge of cake layer toward middle, place strawberries, flat base sides down and pointed tops up, on top of frosted bottom layer.
• Spoon about 1 1/2 cups frosting into a ziplock plastic freezer bag; snip 1 corner to make a small hole. Pipe frosting between strawberries, filling in spaces completely. Gently spread about 3/4 cup of the frosting on top of berries.
• Place second cake layer on berry layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with whole and sliced strawberries, if desired.

DREAMY STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F; grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, gelatin, flour, water and eggs, and beat with mixer for 2 minutes.
• Add 5oz. of the strawberries with syrup to batter and beat 1 minute more; then add oil and beat for an additional minute.
• Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes.
• Remove from oven, let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and place on a rack to thoroughly cool.
• When cake has cooled, frost with Strawberry Frosting, making a 2-layer layer-cake, putting frosting between both layers, on sides and on top.
• Garnish top with fresh strawberries, if desired.
• To make frosting, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl, with electric mixer, until smooth.
• Beat in icing sugar, alternating with 5oz. of strawberries and syrup, until smooth.
• Add vanilla extract and, if necessary, thin with a little milk or cream to spreading consistency.

EASY DOUBLE STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
• In a bowl beat the cake mix with buttermilk, butter and eggs on low speed until just blended.
• Transfer the batter to prepare cake pans.
• Bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until cakes test done.
• Cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes; remove from pans and brush the top of each cake layer with 3 tablespoons of strawberry preserves.
• Cool completely on wire racks.
• Beat the whipping cream with 4 tablespoons of strawberry preserves and the powdered sugar on high speed of an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate; arrange half of the sliced strawberries over the layer, then top with half of the whipped cream.
• Place the remaining layer on top and repeat with strawberry slices then the remaining whipped cream.
• Garnish with whole strawberries on top of desired.

DREAMY STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 350 . Spray 3-9" round cake pans w/ cooking spray. In lg bowl, stir together cake mix and gelatin mix. make a well in center of mix. Pour into well, the mashed berries, oil, milk, and eggs. Beat on low until blended. Beat on medium for 4 mins.
• 2. Fold in 1 cup coconut and 1/2 cup pecans. Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 25-30 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool while making frosting.
• 3. In bowl, mash remaining berries, drain of any liquid. In another bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and mashed strawberries. Fold in 1/2 cup coconut and remaining pecans. Frost cooled cake layers. Chill, covered for 4 hrs.

STRAWBERRY AND CREAM LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Fill a small saucepan with about 1 inch of water and set over medium heat until the water steams.
• Meanwhile, coarsely chop about a quarter of the strawberries and combine in a medium heatproof bowl with the sugar. Cover the bowl tightly and set it over the saucepan. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep the water just below a simmer and allow the berries to sit, swirling the bowl once or twice to dissolve any stubborn sugar clumps, until they've released all their juices, are mushy, and swim in a translucent red liquid, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat, uncover and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. (You should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup of strawberry syrup.) The mushy berries will have given off their color and flavor, and even though you won't use them in the cake, they're still tasty. Reserve the berries for spooning over pancakes or yogurt.
• In a separate medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, crème fraîche and salt. Whisk the mixture vigorously by hand, or beat with a hand mixer on medium-high, until thick, light and holding a medium peak. Chill the bowl of whipped cream. Thinly slice the remaining raw strawberries lengthwise.
• Invert the sponge cake on a flat serving plate or cake stand. Holding a long serrated knife horizontally and parallel to the work surface, use it to lightly score all around the side of the cake at the midway point. Then, using long, even strokes and still holding the knife parallel to the surface, slice clean through the cake, using the score marks as a guide, to cut it into two even layers. Set the top layer aside.
• Use a pastry brush to dab several tablespoons of the strawberry syrup across the bottom layer, lightly soaking the entire surface. Pull the bowl of cream from the refrigerator and dollop about half of it across the soaked layer, then spread in an even layer all the way to the edges. Arrange half of the sliced strawberries on top of the cream, then place the second cake layer on top of the first, cut side up. Lightly soak the top layer of cake with the strawberry syrup, reserving any remaining syrup for serving. Spread the remaining cream on top of the cake, then pile the remaining sliced strawberries over top. (If not serving immediately, cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve.)
• Slice the cake with a serrated knife and serve. Drizzle the slices with any remaining strawberry syrup. The cake is best served the day it's made, but will keep, covered and chilled, for up to 3 days.

EASY DREAMY STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine strawberries with the sugar and kirsch; set aside for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Reserve several of the most attractive strawberry slices for decorating the top of the cake.
• To make frosting/ filling:.
• On medium-high speed of mixer, whip the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce to medium speed and beat in the cream until starting to thicken, then increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Do not over mix.
• Assemble the cake:.
• Fill one cake layer with half of the strawberries, arranged in an attractive pattern. Carefully spread 1/2 of the frosting over the strawberries, to within 1/2 inch of sides.
• Place second cake layer on top of first layer and press gently. Repeat with strawberries and frosting; decorate top of cake with the reserved strawberries.
• Decorate top with a fresh mint sprig, as desired.
• Slice into wedges and serve with a scoop of strawberry ice cream.
• Refrigerate any leftovers. Cake is best served the same day.