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Strawberry birthday cake with strawberry vanilla bean icing uses fresh strawberries and is so incredibly light and tender. It can easily be made vegan! 

Strawberry birthday cake with strawberry vanilla bean icing

OVERVIEW

  • Skill Level: Beginner
Whole Strawberry birthday cake with strawberry vanilla bean icing and a slice of the cake

Variation Ideas

Chocolate Strawberry Cake: For the filling, use chocolate ganache made in a 1:1 ratio of cream to chocolate. Still use the strawberry buttercream for the exterior frosting as the ganache isn’t stable enough to coat the entire cake.

Raspberry Cake: Swap the strawberry gelatin in the recipe for raspberry powdered gelatin mix. Swap the fresh strawberries in the cake and frosting for fresh raspberries.

Strawberry Lemon Cake: For the filling, use homemade lemon curd. Still use the strawberry buttercream for the exterior frosting as the curd isn’t stable enough to coat the entire cake.

Baking Tip: How to Assemble Layer Cakes

My sister and I as small children

Make-Ahead Strawberry Cake

The components for strawberry layer cake can be prepared in advance and assembled when ready to serve.

Strawberry Cake: After baking the cake layers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months or refrigerate up to 3 days. Assemble and frost the cake layers while still chilled and then let come to room temperature for serving.

Strawberry Frosting: Frosting made with fruit can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and frozen in a zipper bag for up to 2 months. Let the frosting sit out at room temperature for about 1 hour and then re-whip before frosting the cake.

Storage

As long as the cake is fully coated in frosting and not cut into, you can store a layer cake uncovered in the refrigerator for up to one week. When ready to serve, remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature to soften for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

Store leftover cake slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. As soon as the interior of the cake is exposed, it will start to dry out. Cake is best served at room temperature so that the frosting is soft.

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to try these other delicious cake ideas.

Yield: about 20 servings

Strawberry Layer Cake

Ingredients

For the strawberry cake

  • 290 grams (10 ounces) fresh strawberries, weight before removing stems
  • 360 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 10 grams (1 tablespoon) baking powder
  • 85 grams (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin powdered mix
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 226 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) neutral oil (canola, vegetable, safflower, or grapeseed)
  • 300 grams (1 ½ cups) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature

For the strawberry buttercream frosting

  • 170 grams (6 ounces) fresh strawberries, weight before removing stems
  • 340 grams (1 ½ cups, 3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 720 grams (6 cups) powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 42-70 grams (3-5 tablespoons) milk or heavy cream

Instructions

Prep: 

  1. At least 30 minutes before mixing, take the eggs (4 large) out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. Also take out the butter (340 grams/ 1 ½ cups) for the buttercream to come to room temperature. Measure out the rest of the ingredients. 
  2. Position the oven rack to the center position. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Prepare 2 9-inch (23 cm) or 3 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper.

Make the cake:

  1. Rinse the fresh strawberries (290 grams/ 10 ounces), remove the stems, and dice into small pieces. Either pulse in a small food processor or mash well using a potato masher or fork. They should be fairly liquid but a few lumps are ok. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour (360 grams/ 3 cups), baking powder (10 grams/ 1 tablespoon), and strawberry gelatin (85 grams/ 3 ounces). Add the salt (½ teaspoon) and whisk together.
  3. Add the oil (226 grams/ 1 cup) to the flour mixture and mix with a spoon or spatula until crumbly.
  4. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar (300 grams/ 1 ½ cups) and eggs (4 large) until lightened in color. Whisk in the pureed strawberries.
  5. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and mix together using a rubber spatula until fully combined. Do not over-mix.
  6. Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins. Bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes. The cakes are done when they spring back when gently pressed on. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting:

  1. Rinse the fresh strawberries (170 grams/ 6 ounces), remove the stems, and dice into small pieces. Place them in a saucepan and top with about 1 tablespoon of water. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently. Keep cooking as the berries break down and release their juices. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the berries until you have a thin consistency.
  2. Continue cooking on medium heat while the liquid boils off the fruit and becomes thick. The fruit is done when the consistency is a thick paste similar to tomato paste. Remove the strawberry paste from the saucepan and let cool down to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter (340 grams/ 1 ½ cups) on medium speed for about 1 minute, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  4. Add the powdered sugar (720 grams/ 6 cups) to the mixing bowl and start mixing on low until it starts to combine with the butter. Turn the mixing speed up to medium-high and beat for about 4-5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract (1 ½ teaspoons) salt (¼ teaspoon), and cooled strawberry paste.
  5. Add milk or heavy cream to thin out the texture, using only a small amount to start. I used about 3 ½ tablespoons total. If the consistency becomes too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar until you get a spreadable consistency. 

Assemble the Cake:

*(view this article for more detailed instruction on assembling layered cakes)

  1. Stack and fill the cake layers with frosting in between.
  2. Cover the outside of the cake on all sides and top with frosting. Use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting or use the back of a spoon to create a swirled pattern.
  3. Optional: Add whole fresh strawberries for decoration.

Notes

*This recipe makes enough frosting to fill the cake, cover the sides, and cover the top. If you want to add buttercream decor, like swirls or rosettes on top, make extra.

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© Baker Bettie