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Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Reduction and Buttercream Recipe

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4 from 4 reviews

This vibrant Strawberry Cake recipe features a luscious homemade strawberry reduction used throughout the cake batter, filling, and frosting for an intense fresh strawberry flavor. Moist, pink-hued layers of cake are paired with a silky strawberry buttercream frosting to create a show-stopping dessert perfect for any celebration or summer gathering.

Ingredients

Strawberry Reduction

  • 32 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed)
  • 4 ounces sugar (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 pinch salt

Cake Batter

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 10 ounces granulated sugar
  • 6 ounces egg whites (room temperature)
  • 4 ounces milk (room temperature, whole milk preferred)
  • 6 ounces strawberry reduction (room temperature)
  • 2 ounces vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon strawberry emulsion or extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pink gel food coloring
  • 14 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Buttercream Frosting

  • 4 ounces pasteurized egg whites
  • 16 ounces powdered sugar
  • 16 ounces unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces strawberry reduction (room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Strawberry Reduction: Blend thawed or fresh strawberries until smooth. Combine strawberry puree, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick like tomato sauce. Cool completely before using.
  2. Set Up: On baking day, bring butter, egg whites, milk, and strawberry reduction to room temperature, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease two 8-inch cake pans with cake goop.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, oil, strawberry reduction, strawberry emulsion, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pink food coloring.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat room-temperature butter in a stand mixer with paddle attachment at medium speed until smooth and shiny (~30 seconds). Gradually add granulated sugar and beat for 3-5 minutes until fluffy and almost white.
  6. Add Egg Whites: Add egg whites one at a time, beating 15 seconds between each, until mixture is cohesive and smooth. Avoid cold ingredients to prevent curdling.
  7. Alternate Adding Dry and Wet Ingredients: Mix on low speed, add one-third of dry ingredients, then one-third of wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Repeat twice more. Stop mixing when batter is smooth and thick like ice cream. Scrape bowl sides.
  8. Bake: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes until cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with few crumbs.
  9. Cool Cakes: Let pans cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes and cool completely. Wrap layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until assembly.
  10. Make Buttercream: In a clean mixer bowl, combine pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar on low speed, then whip on high for 5 minutes.
  11. Add Butter: Gradually add softened butter in chunks, whipping on high for 8-10 minutes until frosting is white, light, and glossy. Continue whipping through curdling stage.
  12. Flavor and Finish Frosting: Mix in strawberry reduction, vanilla extract, and salt. Whip until incorporated. Optional: switch to paddle attachment and mix on low for 15-20 minutes to smooth frosting and remove air bubbles.
  13. Assemble Cake: Layer chilled cake layers with strawberry buttercream and a thin spread of extra strawberry reduction between layers. Crumb coat the cake, chill, then apply final coat of buttercream. Decorate as desired.

Notes

  • Make the strawberry reduction a day in advance to allow it to cool completely and intensify flavor.
  • Bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature for best batter consistency and to prevent curdling.
  • Using pasteurized egg whites in frosting ensures safety and proper whipping.
  • Pink gel food coloring is optional but enhances the cake’s vibrant color without affecting flavor.
  • Wrap and chill cake layers well before assembling to prevent crumbling during frosting.
  • You can freeze the cake layers for up to one month before assembly.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/strawberry-cake-with-strawberry-reduction-and-buttercream-recipe/