Description
This Strawberry and Cream Cake is a delightful and moist cake layered with fresh strawberries and luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfect for spring and summer gatherings, its combination of strawberry gelatin in the batter and fresh fruit in the layers offers a burst of fresh flavor. The cream cheese frosting blended with whipped cream and a hint of lemon juice adds a light and tangy finish that complements the sweetness of the cake beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 3 tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries
Frosting and Filling
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup diced fresh strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together cake flour, strawberry-flavored gelatin, baking soda, and kosher salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the diced fresh strawberries gently.
- Bake the Cakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks.
- Prepare the Frosting and Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1/3 cup of confectioners’ sugar until smooth. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream with the remaining confectioners’ sugar and fresh lemon juice until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of the cream cheese and whipped cream mixture over the top and sprinkle with half of the diced fresh strawberries. Place the second cake layer on top and frost the entire cake with the remaining cream mixture. Decorate the top with the rest of the diced strawberries. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and the filling to set.
Notes
- Ensure the butter and cream cheese are softened for smoother mixing.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor impact.
- Chilling the cake before serving helps the frosting set and improves slicing.
- Strawberry-flavored gelatin adds color and strawberry essence to the cake batter.
- This cake is best served within 2 days for freshness.
