Three Layer Strawberry Cake Recipes

STRAWBERRY FROSTED LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat Cake ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the batter in each pan.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in strawberry jam and vanilla until blended. Tint frosting with food color to desired color.
• Place one cake layer rounded side down on serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup of the frosting on top. Place in single layer 1/2 cup sliced strawberries on frosting layer to within 1/2 inch from edge of cake. Top with second cake layer, rounded side down. Spread 2/3 cup of the frosting on top and add remaining sliced strawberries; top with third cake layer rounded side up. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate cake at least 1 hour before serving. Place whole strawberries in center on top of cake. Store any remaining cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

THREE LAYER STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour 3 (9") round cake pans.
• Stir together cake mix and jello mix in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup mashed strawberries, oil, milk and eggs.
• Beat on low speed until blended.
• Scrape bowl and beat for 4 minutes on medium speed.
• Fold in the coconut and pecans.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• For frosting, mash the 3/4 cup strawberries to make 1/2 cup, then drain well and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, then blend in powdered sugar and drained strawberries.
• Beat on medium speed until frosting lightens and is well combined.
• Fold in the coconut.
• Frost between layers and on top and sides.
• Chill uncovered for 30 minutes or until frosting sets, then cover and chill for 4 hours before serving.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Make the reduced strawberry puree and allow it to cool completely. See note. You can make it a few days ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator or cover and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw before using in the recipe.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk *just* until combined. Do not overmix. Whisk in 1/2 cup of reduced strawberry puree, making sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick. Stir in food coloring, if desired. (I use 1 small drop.)
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 24-25 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
• Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should have around 1/2 cup crumbs. Set aside. In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners' sugar, strawberry powder, 1 Tablespoon milk, and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add 1 more Tablespoon of milk to slightly thin out, if desired. Taste, then add a pinch of salt if needed. Yields about 3 cups of frosting.
• First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake keep its shape when cutting- it could slightly fall apart without time in the fridge.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

TRIPLE-LAYER STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH FRESH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Combine fresh strawberries and two tablespoons of sugar in a blender. Pulse until strawberries are reduced to a pulp. DO NOT blend until smooth. (You will use ½ cup of the puree for the cake. Reserve the remaining puree to use in the frosting.) Set aside and allow to macerate further while you perform next few steps.
• Preheat oven to 350°F | 175°C. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
• Whip eggs whites until they form medium peaks. Set aside.
• Combine sifted flour and baking powder. Set aside.
• Whisk together milk, strawberry puree, lemon zest, and vanilla. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, dry strawberry Jell-O®, and salt. Beat in eggs yolks one at a time.
• Stir flour mixture into batter alternately with strawberry-milk mixture.
• Gently fold in whipped egg whites.
• Pour batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
• Allow cakes to cool in their pans over wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Carefully tap out onto wire rack to cool completely.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.
• With mixer on low, add powdered sugar to the whipped butter alternately with ⅓ cup pureed strawberries. Combine thoroughly into a soft, creamy mixture that will hold its shape. Cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until it has firmed up slightly.
• Spread the top of the bottom layer of cake with frosting. Add the middle layer and refrigerate again until the frosting has firmed up a bit. Add the top layer and frost sides and top of cake. For a cleaner frosting, apply a crumb coat first to keep the crumbs out of your final frosting. If you are spreading the frosting on thick, you may want to refrigerate the cake after you apply the frosting between each layer until the frosting has firmed just a bit; about 10-15 minutes for each layer. (If you are frosting it thin, you probably won't need to do this.)
• Decorate with fresh strawberries if desired.

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.

3 LAYER CHEESY STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Layer 1: Make this part 4 to 24 hours ahead: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
• Cut in margarine until texture feels like corn meal.
• Combine wet ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Then add all at once to the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to make a soft dough.
• Using fingers, gently pat dough into the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.
• Layer 2: Combine all ingredients.
• Beat until creamy with mixer on high.
• Spread over dough in the pan.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool completely and cover.
• Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
• Layer 3: 3 hours or less before serving:.
• Arrange berries on top of cake.
• Stir jelly to soften, then brush jelly over berries.
• Garnish with blueberries or toasted almond slices. (Toast almond slices in a fry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until browned a bit.).