Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 1 container (16 oz) strawberries
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons oil, any type
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Few drops pink or red food color (optional)
- 2 tablespoons strawberry extract (optional)
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Strawberry Filling
- 1 jar (15 oz) strawberry fruit spread
Strawberry Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
- 1 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1 container (16 oz) strawberries
- Red food color (optional)
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Wash and remove stems from strawberries. Puree half of strawberries using a stick or standard blender.
- Measure exactly 1 cup of strawberry puree and pour into a small saucepan. Cut butter in thin slices and along with oil, add into saucepan. Add vanilla and a few drops of food color. If desired add strawberry extract.
- Depending on size, cut remaining strawberries in 4-8 pieces and set aside.
- Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside.
- In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients, whip eggs using a stand or handheld mixer until well blended. Add sugar and keep whipping until mixture is mousse-like, thick and pale, and well doubled in volume. This will take at least 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat strawberry puree mixture until warm, not quite hot, and certainly not boiling. Remove from heat.
- Using a handheld spatula, gently fold dry sifted ingredients in egg mixture, retaining as much air as possible.
- Add 1/3 of still warm strawberry mixture and gently mix into above. Add another 1/3 and gently fold and finish with remaining amount. Gently combine cut strawberries into cake batter.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared pans and spread surface evenly.
- Place in oven and bake until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger and you see cake retracting from sides in a few areas, about 37 minutes.
- Once cakes have cooled continue with below.
- Remove parchment paper from a cake layer and place it on a serving platter.
- Spread with one third of strawberry fruit spread.
- Cover with a cake layer and spread with another third of fruit spread. Cover with remaining cake layer.
- For frosting, puree about 1/3 of strawberries to obtain 2/3 cup. Set aside.
- Mix butter until creamy. Add sugar and keep mixing until light and fluffy. If mixture is cold and dense, use a hairdryer to heat sides of bowl while mixing.
- Add pureed (room temperature) strawberries in 7-8 increments, beating cream very well in between additions. If needed, heat frosting with hairdryer. If frosting appears curdled, it is a sign that it is too cold and needs to be slightly warmed. Final result should be light and fluffy.
- Frost cake and pipe a circle of buttercream domes on surface of cake.
- Quarter about half of remaining strawberries and toss with remaining strawberry fruit spread.
- Place strawberry mixture onto cake.