Strawberry Velvet Cake (Printable)
A luscious, moist cake with delicate crumb, layered with fresh strawberry purée and creamy cream cheese frosting.
# What You'll 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 (optional)
→ Strawberry Purée
13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
→ 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
# Directions:
01 - Preheat 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 cake batter and 1/4 cup for 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 strawberry purée and food coloring if using until evenly distributed.
07 - Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to wet mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.
08 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake for 28-32 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and strawberry purée until well combined.
10 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread frosting layer on top. Add second cake layer and coat top and sides with remaining frosting. Decorate with fresh strawberries. Chill 30 minutes before slicing for clean layers.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The strawberry purée keeps every bite incredibly moist and gives the cake an authentic fruit flavor you cannot get from extracts alone
- That combination of oil and butter creates the most tender crumb while still maintaining structure for layering
- Cream cheese frosting swirled with more strawberry purée tastes like the best strawberry cheesecake you have ever had
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable here, cold eggs or butter will cause the batter to curdle and affect the final texture
- Overmixing once the flour is added will make the cake tough, so stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks
- The cake needs to be completely cool before frosting or the cream cheese will melt and slide right off
03 -
- For an extra strawberry punch, fold diced fresh strawberries into the frosting between the layers
- The food coloring is optional, but strawberries vary so much in color that the gel helps ensure that gorgeous pink hue every time