Strawberry Velvet Cake (Print View)

Luscious layers of strawberry-infused velvet cake with fresh purée and creamy cream cheese frosting

# What You Need:

→ Strawberry Velvet Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups cake flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
05 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup fresh strawberry purée
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 2–3 drops red or pink gel food coloring

→ Strawberry Purée

13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

15 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
16 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
17 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
18 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
19 - 1/4 cup strawberry purée

→ Decoration

20 - Fresh strawberries, halved or sliced

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Blend strawberries and sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup for the cake batter and 1/4 cup for the frosting.
03 - Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
04 - Beat butter, oil, and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
05 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
06 - Mix in the strawberry purée and food coloring, if using, until evenly distributed.
07 - Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.
08 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
09 - Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes.
10 - Turn cakes out onto wire racks and allow to cool completely before frosting.
11 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and strawberry purée until well combined.
12 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top. Add the second cake layer and coat the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
13 - Decorate with fresh strawberries. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean layers.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly velvety, almost like eating a strawberry scented cloud
  • Fresh strawberry purée throughout means every bite tastes like actual fruit, not artificial flavor
  • The cream cheese frosting strikes that perfect balance between tangy and sweet
02 -
  • All ingredients must be at room temperature, especially the cream cheese, or you'll end up with lumpy frosting
  • Let the cakes cool completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will melt and slide right off
  • The purée amount is exact, too much makes the cake dense and gummy
03 -
  • Place your cake pans on a baking sheet to ensure even heating and prevent over browning on the bottom
  • Use a kitchen scale to measure your flour, scooping directly from the bag compacts it and throws off the ratio
  • Chill your frosted cake for 15 minutes before adding fresh strawberries so they don't slide off

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