SUMMER STRAWBERRY CAKE
A SIMPLE, SINGLE LAYER YELLOW CAKE WITH FRESH STRAWBERRY GLAZE AND WHIPPED CREAM.
SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER | QUANTITY: 1 9” SINGLE LAYER CAKE
LISTS
GROCERY LIST:
1 stick | Unsalted Butter (plus more for buttering cake pan - about 1 ½ tablespoons)
4 large | Eggs
¾ cup | Buttermilk
1 ½ cups | Heavy Whipping Cream
1 ¼ cups | Granulated Sugar
4 tablespoons | Confectioners’ Sugar
1 ½ cups | All-purpose Flour (plus more for dusting cake pan - about 1 ½ tablespoons)
1 ½ teaspoons | Cornstarch
½ teaspoon | Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon | Baking Soda
1 ½ teaspoon | Baking Powder
2 ½ teaspoons | Vanilla Extract
1 cup | Strawberries
1 large | Lemon
KITCHENWARE:
9x2-inch Round Cake Pan
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer w/ Large Mixing Bowl
Medium Mixing Bowl
Measuring Spoons & Cups, Whisk, Sieve (fine mesh strainer) & Rubber Spatula
PREP
Helpful tips!
Let butter and eggs come to room temperature by leaving out for about 1 hour*.
Let buttermilk come to room temperature by leaving out for about 30 minutes*.
When measuring flour, don’t pack the flour or you will end up adding more flour into the mixture and risk having a drier cake. Instead, use a large spoon to scoop flour into measuring cups and level off with the handle of the spoon.
Don’t sift kosher salt or sugar. Both are usually not fine enough to get through the sieve.
*Dependent on the temperature of your home
BAKE
TOPPINGS:
1 cup | Strawberries
¼ cup | Granulated Sugar
¼ cup & 1 tablespoon | Water (divided)
1 large | Lemon
1 ½ teaspoons | Cornstarch
1 ½ cups | Heavy Whipping Cream
4 tablespoons | Confectioners’ Sugar
1 teaspoon | Vanilla Extract
CAKE:
1 large | Egg (room temperature)
3 large | Egg Yolks (room temperature)
¾ cup | Buttermilk (room temperature)
1 ½ teaspoons | Vanilla Extract
1 ½ cups | All-purpose Flour
¼ teaspoon | Baking Soda
1 ½ teaspoons | Baking Powder
½ teaspoon | Kosher Salt
1 cup | Granulated Sugar
1 stick | Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
Wash and quarter strawberries. Combine quartered strawberries, sugar and ¼ cup water in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes. While simmering, juice lemon and set aside. Mix 1 tablespoon of water with cornstarch and set aside. Add cornstarch mixture and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to strawberries. Mix, reduce heat to low and reduce, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and store in fridge.
Use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer to mix heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 3-5 minutes depending on your speed setting. Store in fridge.
Preheat oven to 325° F and place rack in the center of the oven.
Roll out parchment paper and trace the bottom of one 9x2-inch round cake pan. Cut out the parchment circle and set aside. Butter one 9x2-inch round cake pan with 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter. Use your hands to smear butter all over the bottom, corners and sides of the inside of the pan. Place parchment circle inside of pan. Use remaining ½ tablespoon of butter and smear over parchment circle. Sprinkle about 1 ½ tablespoons of flour over buttered pan and rotate and tap the pan to move flour around to completely coat the bottom, corners and sides. Tap out excess flour. This will allow for an easy and clean removal. Set aside.
Whisk egg, egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into large mixing bowl. Add salt and sugar and gently mix to combine, just a few turns. Cut butter into 1-inch pieces and add pieces to bowl of flour mixture. Mix on low speed, slowly increasing speed to medium until butter is worked into dry flour mixture, about 4 minutes. Mixture will look like coarse meal and there shouldn’t be any dry flour or visible chunks of butter.
Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in half of buttermilk mixture. Starting on low speed and slowly increasing to medium, until well incorporated. Add remaining buttermilk mixture and beat on low speed, do this slowly to prevent spilling, until fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is smooth, light and thick, about 3 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients at the bottom and around the edges are incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 23 minutes. Quickly rotate pan to ensure an even bake and bake for an additional 17-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Don’t leave your oven open too long or you run of the risk of your cake sinking. Cool cake in pan for at least 30 minutes before removing.
Serve slices of yellow cake and top individual slices with cooled strawberry mixture and whipped cream or allow guests to top themselves!
Store cake leftovers in wrapped plastic or airtight container at room temperature and strawberry mixture and whipped cream in fridge.
