Reviews for Sallys Baking Addiction Fresh Strawberry Cake

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The one thing that sets this strawberry block apart from others? Reduce fresh strawberry puree downward and add to the best white cake batter.

This strawberry cake completely blew me away. After years of mediocre from-scratch strawberry cakes, my expectations were pretty low. It was time to gustatory modality test my efforts. Biting into the starting time pastel pinkish forkful was the moment of truth…

I cried tears of joy. Or were those actual tears considering I just dirtied every dish with all this strawberry cake recipe testing?

Let'due south get downward to business. Sentry me make the recipe below:

I find it challenging to pack real strawberry flavor into cake without the crutch of faux strawberry flavoring. My goal was to create a strawberry layer cake made entirely from existent strawberries. We're talking strawberries inside the cake and in the frosting as well. With the help of freeze-dried strawberries, I tackled strawberry frosting. I'll get to that below. But for strawberry cake? Things have always been pretty lackluster in the flavor and texture department.

Strawberry Cake Bug

• Chopping up strawberries and folding into cake batter works, but then you're simply eating vanilla cake with chunks of strawberries.
• Pureeing strawberries and folding into cake concoction has potential, but the texture is e'er off. There'southward too much liquid. How about calculation more than flour to make up for that liquid? And so your cake is too dumbo. And the flavor is e'er lacking.
• Strawberry jam could work, but I prefer to offset with existent strawberries.

And so how can we pack real strawberry flavor into block batter without adding too much liquid? REDUCE THE STRAWBERRIES DOWN. Ding ding ding! Nosotros accept a winner.

How to Pack Existent Strawberry Flavor into Cake

1. Puree fresh strawberries.
2. Reduce downwardly on the stove.
3. Let absurd.
4. Stir into block batter.

Puree 1 pound of ruddy red strawberries. You'll need a food processor or blender for this step and once again when y'all make the frosting.

Take that strawberry puree and reduce it down on the stove. This, my friends, is where all the magic happens. Similar I mention above, you desire a lot of concentrated flavor within a little amount of liquid.

Yous'll begin with 1 cup of hot pinkish puree and reduce down to 1/two loving cup. After thirty minutes, it volition be very thick and very red. Add together this thick and highly full-bodied strawberry flavor to your cake concoction, instead of the thinner strawberry puree.

The reduced strawberry puree will go into the cake concoction. No demand to strain the seeds first — they disappear when the cake is broiled. Since the reduced strawberry puree needs to completely cool down, I suggest getting started the twenty-four hour period before. Only let the reduced strawberry puree sit in the refrigerator overnight and make the cake batter the following twenty-four hours.

Strawberry Block Batter

The cake batter starts from my white cake. This vanilla flavored cake proved to be the best jumping off point for a strawberry cake. I kept the majority of the recipe the aforementioned, only I removed some of the wet ingredients to make room for 1/2 cup of reduced strawberries. The cake is low-cal, springy, soft, and fluffy.

The reduced strawberry puree will tint the block batter a lovely pastel pinkish and, if you want, you tin can add together a modest drib of pink or red food coloring to brighten that hue. Not necessary, of class. (I added a teeny drop.) Expect a velvet-y and slightly thick cake batter.

• No artificial strawberry flavor.
• Null from a box.
• Just pure strawberries.

The Strawberry Frosting

You can taste the fresh strawberry season in the baked cake, but the flavor is REALLY brought out when you combine information technology with strawberry frosting. Like strawberry cake, strawberry frosting has always left me feeling a picayune defeated. Fresh strawberries were the result. The frosting would e'er curdle from the added moisture. And no amount of fresh strawberries could get me the strawberry flavour I craved. Instead of settling for bogus strawberry flavour, I took a trick from Sally's Candy Addiction: strawberry dust! Take hold of some freeze-dried strawberries, grind them up, and toss information technology into the frosting.

(I actually added freeze-stale strawberries to cake batter as one of my examination recipes. This was an atrocious decision and an ballsy fail. The cake was awful. Texture, taste, and appearance. Simply… no. But freeze-dried strawbs are a YES for frosting!)

• Where to buy freeze-dried strawberries? They're more commonly establish than y'all call up. I always find freeze-dried strawberries in my regular grocery store in the dried fruit aisle. Wegmans, Giant, Trader Joe'southward, Whole Foods, Amazon, and Target each behave them.

Instead of a thicker strawberry buttercream, I used my silky foam cheese frosting recipe. Tossed in the freeze-dried strawberry "grit" and milk and was left with a frosting so pink, Barbie would be jealous!

Allow's Review

The tricks to bootleg strawberry cake and frosting made with real strawberries? (ane) Reduced strawberry puree in the cake batter and (2) freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting. Have fun baking!

Impress

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Description

The one affair that sets this strawberry cake apart from others? Reduce fresh strawberry puree downward and add to the best white cake concoction.

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• 2 and i/two cups (285g) block flour (spoon & leveled)
• ii teaspoons blistering pulverisation
• 1/ii teaspoon baking soda
• i teaspoon salt
• three/iv cup (1.5 sticks; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 3/four cups (350g) granulated sugar
• five large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/3 loving cup (75g) sour foam or plain yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla excerpt
• 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
• one/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (meet annotation)*
• optional: 1-2 drops ruby-red or pinkish food coloring

Strawberry Foam Cheese Frosting

• one cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries*
• one 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• one/2 loving cup (i stick; 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups (360g) confectioners' saccharide
• 1–2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• table salt, to gustation

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1. Make the reduced strawberry puree and allow it to cool completely. See annotation. You can make it a few days alee of time and shop it covered in the fridge or cover and freeze it for upwardly to 3 months. Thaw before using in the recipe.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and lightly flour two ix-inch cake pans.
3. Whisk the cake flour, baking pulverization, baking soda, and table salt together. Set bated.
4. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk zipper, beat the butter and saccharide together on high speed until smoothen and creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape downwards the sides and upward the lesser of the bowl with a condom spatula every bit needed. Beat in the egg whites on loftier speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and upward the lesser of the bowl equally 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. Exercise not overmix. Whisk in 1/ii cup of reduced strawberry puree, making sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the basin. The concoction will be slightly thick. Stir in nutrient coloring, if desired. (I use 1 small drop.)
5. Pour batter evenly into block pans. Bake for effectually 24-25 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out make clean, it is washed. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely absurd before frosting and assembling.
6. Make the frosting:Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You lot should take effectually i/2 loving cup crumbs. Set bated. In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand up mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, vanquish the foam cheese for i infinitesimal on loftier speed until completely smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add together the confectioners' carbohydrate, strawberry pulverization, 1 Tablespoon milk, and vanilla and vanquish on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add 1 more than Tablespoon of milk to slightly thin out, if desired. Taste, then add together a compression of salt if needed. Yields about 3 cups of frosting.
7. Assemble and frost:Offset, using a big serrated pocketknife, piece 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 up or serving plate. Evenly comprehend the top with frosting. Height with 2nd layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the superlative and sides. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. This helps the block keep its shape when cut– it could slightly fall apart without time in the fridge.
8. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for v days.

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Notes

1. Brand Ahead Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Besides, the frosting can be prepared so covered and refrigerated overnight. Light it sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers tin can be frozen upward to 2 months-3. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
2. Cake Flour: I strongly suggest using cake flour in this recipe. Information technology'due south sold right next to the all-purpose flour in the baking aisle. And you use it a lot in my recipes!
3. Whole Milk: If needed, buttermilk works in its place. I don't recommend a lower fatty milk.
4. Where to Purchase Freeze-Stale Strawberries? I ever find them in my regular grocery store in the stale fruit aisle. Wegmans, Giant, Trader Joe's and Target carries them. Keep your eyes peeled– they're more commonly establish that you think! Exercise not use the chewy/gummy dried strawberries. You need FREEZE-dried strawberries which grind into a powder. If you can't detect them anywhere, just leave them out of the frosting and add together another one/ii cup of confectioners' sugar.
5. Reduced Strawberry Puree: puree one lb of rinsed and hulled strawberries. You should have a little over 1 cup. Stirring occasionally, simmer the puree over low-medium heat until you're left with 1/ii cup or a little over 1/2 cup. This takes at least 25-35 minutes, but could have longer depending on your pan or how juicy your strawberries were. *Do not add sugar or anything to the puree or reduced puree– it's just pure strawberries. I e'er brand the reduced puree the 24-hour interval earlier and so it has enough of time to absurd downward. I encompass and place in the refrigerator overnight. Use 1/two cup in the cake. Allow to absurd completely before using in block batter. Make sure information technology's room temperature when adding to the concoction. You can make the reduced puree ahead of time and freeze for upwardly to iii months. Thaw, bring to room temperature, and then use in the recipe. Discard whatever leftovers or spoon on ice cream/yogurt/add together to smoothie. Yum! Y'all can use frozen strawberries, simply they will have longer to reduce even if you thaw them first.
6. nine×13 Inch Block: Simply pour the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9×thirteen inch pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out make clean.
7. Cupcakes: Fill cupcake pans ii/3 total with batter. Broil for 20-22 minutes. Makes two and 1/2 dozen cupcakes. For fourteen-15 cupcakes, follow my strawberry cupcakes recipe, which is adapted from this strawberry cake.
8. Food Coloring: If y'all desire, you lot can add ane-ii small drops of pinkish or ruddy nutrient coloring for a lovely pinkish shade to the baked cake. I add together 1 small drop of pinkish gel food coloring.
9. No Cream Cheese in Frosting: If you'd like to skip the foam cheese in the frosting, use my strawberry buttercream recipe instead. You'll have plenty for a thin layer of frosting, only you tin 1.5x the recipe for a thicker layer.

Keywords: strawberries, pink

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