Strawberry Cake

This classic Strawberry Cake is exploding with strawberry flavor and is the PERFECT summer sweet treat! I like to bake this cake and load the insides with Fresh Strawberry Compote and Strawberry Easy Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The strawberry buttercream is my Easy Swiss Meringue Buttercream with 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries. If you want to customize this recipe by making it raspberry, you can easily do that by swapping out the freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry gelatin for freeze-dried raspberries and raspberry gelatin (I use Jell-O).

Quick note - I like to prepare the compote and the strawberry buttercream before I start the cake so those are ready to go when the cake has cooled.

Ingredients

Makes 3 6” cakes, 2 8” cakes, or 12-15 cupcakes.

• 2 sticks or 1 cup of unsalted room temp butter

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 4 room temperature eggs

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 3 cups cake flour or 2 3/4 all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup corn starch

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 6 oz strawberry gelatin

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

• 1/2 cup ground freeze-dried strawberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes at medium-high speed until light and fluffy .

3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla.

4. With the mixer on a low speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. Sift the dry ingredients - flour, the baking soda, baking powder, and strawberry gelatin in a separate bowl.

6. Ground the freeze-dried strawberries and set aside.

7. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the mixer, mixing well in between additions. I add one heaping cup of dry ingredients to the mixer and follow that with 1/2 of the buttermilk.

8. Once all the dry ingredients and the buttermilk has been added, swipe the sides of the bowl with the spatula and mix or fold in the freeze-dried strawberries.

9. Prepare the cake pans by lining them with parchment paper and spraying with baking spray.

10. Add in the batter to about 3/4 of the pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45-50 minutes. Oven baking times may vary. Test the center of your cake with a knife at the 40 minute mark to see if it comes out clean. When it does, place the cakes on a cooling rack for 2-3 minutes and cover the tops with plastic wrap to “steam” the cakes. This keeps the cakes moist.

11. Wrap cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze until needed.

Mixed Berry Pavlova

This recipe makes a 9” round pavlova.

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites, room temp

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the whipped cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Decoration:

• 2 cups strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (optional) fresh or frozen

• Mint leaves

• Honey, for drizzling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees℉.

2. Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a hand-mixer, beat egg whites on a medium-low speed until foamy.

3. Add 1/3 of the sugar to the mixer, increase the speed to medium, and continue beating for several minutes.

4. Add in another 1/3 of the sugar, increasing speed to medium-high and continue beating for several minutes.

5. Finish with the remaining sugar and vanilla extract, increasing the speed to high, and beating until stiff peaks form at the tip of the meringue- typically several minutes. Meringue should create a peak at the end of the whisk attachment when lifted out of the bowl.

6. Spread the meringue out on a baking sheet fitted with parchment or a silicone baking mat using a spatula. Create a circular disk that is roughly 9”.

7. Bake in the center rack of the oven for 1 hour.

8. Once the hour is up, turn the oven off, and allow the meringue to cool to room temperature in the oven with the door ajar (slightly open) for roughly another hour.

9. Prepare the whipped cream by whipping together the heavy cream and powdered sugar until peaks form.

10. Serve by placing the meringue gently on a serving board, top with homemade whipped cream, berries, mint, and drizzle of honey.

11. The pavlova can be stored in an airtight container on it’s own (without whipped cream and berries) in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Pavlovas with berries and whipped cream must be eaten immediately.

The Moistest Chocolate Cake!

Ingredients

Makes 3 6” round cake layers.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups dark cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup hot coffee, black

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 330 degrees.

2. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

3. Add in all of the liquid ingredients at once and mix together using a whisk or a mixer with a whisk attachment until batter forms.

4. The batter will be thin and runny in consistency! Prepare baking pans fitted with parchment paper and sprayed with baking spray.

5. Bake in the middle rack until the cake is springy and the toothpick comes out clear - roughly 20-30 minutes. Remove cake from pan on a cooling rack and cover with plastic wrap to trap moisture into the cake. Let come to room temp before covering in plastic wrap and storing in the freezer until ready to decorate!

6. Decorate using my American Buttercream recipe!

Moistest Vanilla Cake

Ingredients

Makes 24 cupcakes or 3 6” round cakes.

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs, room temp

1 tablespoons vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vanilla instant pudding mix

1 1/2 cups whole milk or buttermilk

Rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Start by creaming together the butter and sugar with a paddle attachment on a medium-high speed until it’s light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, pudding mix, and salt.

4. In a cup, measure out buttermilk.

5. Alternate dry and wet ingredients into the butter mixture by starting with 1 cup of flour, mixing until combined, and then a 1/2 cup of buttermilk.

6. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients into the bowl until all combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again for an even batter.

7. Prep cake pans by fitting with a piece of parchment paper and some baking spray. For cupcakes, add liners and fill with batter.

8. Fill the pans about 3/4 of the way full. Bake until the cake is spongy and a toothpick comes out clean. Smaller cakes in 6” pans bake around 30-45 minutes and 12’ cakes may take up to 90 minutes. Cupcakes bake for about 15-20 minutes!

9. Decorate with my American Buttercream and enjoy!