Strawberry Cake

I'm counting down the days to strawberry season in Georgia.  I've driven past the strawberry fields this winter, and watched as the farmers have been busy taking care of their precious strawberry crop.  I've seen them pull tarps to protect the tender plants on the coldest winter days and I've seen them uncovering plants so they could soak up the warmth of the sun on other days.  I am so glad that there have been people to take such good care of the strawberry crops all winter long. 

In preparation of the upcoming strawberry season, I am making a strawberry cake.  This recipe is really good.  It doesn't use strawberry jello or any artificial strawberry flavors, it uses REAL strawberries for the truest - most delicious - strawberry flavor. 

Strawberry Cake

Cake
10 ounces frozen whole strawberries, thawed
3/4 cup whole milk
6 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

Frosting
10 Tablespoons butter
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
12 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces fresh strawberries, sliced thin

Filling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Cake
Put strawberries in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Place in a strainer over a saucepan and press fruit until dry.  (Save solids)

Bring strawberry juice ot a boil and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup and thick and syrupy.

Whisk milk into juice.

Whisk together strawberry milk, egg whites and vanilla.














Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl of mixer.







Add butter, 1 piece at a time until pea sized pieces remain.
 

 Add milk, half at a time and beat until just combined.  (I added a little bit of pink food coloring too.)

Scrape batter into two 9 inch greased cake pans.















Bake 25 minutes at 350.











Cool on wire racks.

 Place 1 of the cake layers on a cake plate.

For frosting:
Mix butter and sugar in mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat in cream cheese, 1 ounce at a time.  (and a little bit of pink food coloring)

Beat in strawberry solids.

Spoon some of the frosting into a pastry bag and pipe a circle around the outside of the bottom cake layer. 

Whip whipped cream and sugar until soft peaks form.  Spoon into middle of bottom cake layer. 

Top with a layer of thinly sliced strawberries.

Place another cake layer on top of filling.







Spread a thin coat of frosting over entire cake as a crumb coat.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

 Apply remaining frosting.

 Cut a slice and enjoy.

Hungry yet?

Ciao!