Strawberry Birthday Cake
I found this recipe in Southern Cakes magazine and immediately put it on my “to do” list. What could be better than a buttery cake with fresh strawberry curd, and strawberry cream cheese frosting? Not much. Most strawberry cakes are pink and in my opinion, not very appetizing. So this recipe with its yellow, buttery, vanilla cake, strawberry filling and strawberry frosting looked very appealing.
The cake itself is fairly easy to make, but make sure you have two mixer bowls handy, because you make the cake in one bowl, and then have to beat the egg whites in the other, and then fold them in together. It sound like a pain, but its really not, and quite worth it in the end.
The strawberry curd is very easy to make also, and I finally got to use the strawberry’s from last years crop that were in my freezer. They made a very flavorful filling, so think of this recipe when strawberry picking season comes around. You use some of the strawberry curd in the frosting as well, so make sure to reserve 1/2 cup for the frosting. I will say I had quite a bit of filling left over, not sure why. I thought the filling looked a little loose, so decided to melt a little strawberry jelly and brush on the cake so it wouldn’t seep through. I piped a dam of frosting around the edge, and filled with my strawberry curd. In retrospect, that was a mistake because all my cake layers were doing were slipping and sliding. And the fact that it was 3 layers didn’t help either.
In the end, despite my hardship in the assembly process, this cake tasted fabulous! Nice buttery, vanilla cake with layers of fresh strawberry filling, topped with a fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting. Any way you “slice it” (get it?), this cake will be a hit whether its for a special birthday, anniversary or any special occasion.
Strawberry Cake
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Description
Moist and flavorful vanilla cake, with strawberry curd filling and strawberry frosting.
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 1 c. butter, softened
- 2 c. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2–3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 2–1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 c. whole buttermilk
- 5 egg whites (reserve yolks for strawberry curd)
- Strawberry Curd:
- 1 (16 oz) pkg frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed and drained
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 c. butter, cut in to pieces
- 1 tsp. strawberry extract
- Strawberry Frosting:
- 1/2 c. butter, softened
- 1 (8 oz ) pkg cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 c. reserved strawberry puree (from strawberry curd)
- 1 tsp strawberry extract
- 6 c. confectioners sugar, sifted
Instructions
- To make cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three (9 inch) round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer, until fluffy. Add vanilla, and beat to combine.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 batches, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- In another mixer bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold egg white in to cake mixture one-third at a time. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 20 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, let cool completely on wire racks.
- Spread strawberry curd between layers and frost with strawberry frosting on top and sides of cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.
- To make strawberry curd:
- In the work bowl of a food processor, process strawberries until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup strawberry puree for Strawberry Frosting.
- In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add remaining strawberry puree, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat, gradually add butter pieces, whisking until melted. Add strawberry extract, stirring to combine. Let mixture cool slightly, cover, and refigerate 2 hours before using.
- To make frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheeseat medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add strawberry puree and strawberry extract, beating until combined. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating until a smooth and spreadable consistency is reached.
- *As with all frosting’s, if frosting is too thick, thin with a little milk; too thin add more confectioners sugar.
Notes
The prep time includes the 2 hour wait for the curd to set.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
22 Comments
Tina
March 31, 2012 at 11:09 amhmmm…I wonder why it did too, but your cake looks moist and wonderful. Great job!
SJ
March 31, 2012 at 6:19 pmI think the filling oozed out a little and why that happens its disaster. Maybe I put too much filling in. I did dam it, but it came out anyway. It may be because I put a think coat of strawberry jam on the cake so the filling wouldn’t seep in to the cake, but I think it made the cake slip and slide.
Choc Chip Uru
March 31, 2012 at 3:25 pmThis birthday cake is exquisite – I love every element, especially the gorgeous pink frosting 😀
Perfect layering too!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Maple Raisin Ice Cream
SJ
March 31, 2012 at 3:46 pmIt tasted unbelievable so i hear. I never got a piece of it. But i did taste all the elements and it was delicious. The fresh strawberry curd was unreal.
Christine
March 31, 2012 at 6:08 pmThis looks moist and tasty. I’d like a slice.
SJ
March 31, 2012 at 6:14 pmOne slice, coming up!
Jennie @themessybakerblog
April 4, 2012 at 2:18 pmThis cake is absolutely beautiful, and it sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing. P.S.- I want a slice.
SJ
April 8, 2012 at 8:12 pmIt was delicious!
Lacee
July 14, 2012 at 3:23 pmThis cake is amazing!! My Gradmother and I bought the magazine that it was in and I made it for her once. Every since then thats all she has wanted for birthdays and every holiday she can think of!! Today I am making it yet again for her birthday and couldn’t find the recipe anywhere! Thanks so much for your website it TRULY was a life saver today!!!!
SJ
July 16, 2012 at 12:36 pmIt really was good! A lot of people mentioned they wanted it for their birthday! Hope your grandmother enjoyed it!
Madeleine
July 16, 2012 at 12:33 pmI think you must not of cooked the strawberry curd so it thicken the gelatin. Also putting it in the refrigerator for 2 hours is important. my filling was very dense, not runny at all.
SJ
July 16, 2012 at 12:38 pmI think the reason it slid is because I was concerned about the curd soaking in to the cake, so I took a little apple jelly and melted it, and spread a thin layer over the cake before I put the curd on the cake. The results were the cake slid. Next time I will forget the jelly and just put on the curd. I’ll just have to make it again and again until I get it right! Tasted unreal though.
Madeleine L
August 11, 2012 at 6:29 amI used fresh strawberries instead of frozen. I also left out the extract. Everything tasted absolutely amazing. Be sure to add enough powdered sugar to the frosting or it will be runny.
SJ
August 12, 2012 at 6:46 pmGlad you liked it!
Pearl S.
December 25, 2012 at 4:29 pmThank you so much I made this cake for my birthday in July and I was looking all over this past week for it my mom had the magazine but can not find it now I could not find it on the net until today Xmas day. Thanks again I have written it down and plan to make it thios week.
Sandie
December 26, 2012 at 9:37 amYou are so welcome. This cake was unbelievably delicious!
Lacee
January 29, 2013 at 12:20 pmI have made this cake several times everyone in the family loves it!! Thanks for having it on your website i lost my copy and your site was the first one i came across that had it!! this cake is very thick and rich full of awesome flavors! Def something from back home in the south!
Sandie
January 29, 2013 at 11:30 pmThe southern folks sure know how to cook! This is one of my favorite cakes to make, and I have lots of requests for it! Glad you found it!
Adreane
March 14, 2014 at 10:54 amI am wanting to make this for my daughters birthday but wondered if it could be made the night before with out drying out or if it should be made day of? Or if you make the cake and store before icing the next day. I will say this is well worth the labor of making it! Everyone will LOVE it! Thanks!
Sandie
March 14, 2014 at 9:24 pmThe cake can be made ahead. Just wrap in plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge! Wait til you need to ice, though.
denise denkenberger
July 26, 2014 at 8:04 amI’m trying to find a cake with strawberry filling for my daughter’s bridal shower
Sandie
July 26, 2014 at 12:49 pmThis cake is dynamite with a fresh strawberry filling. Just make well ahead so the cake sets up well.