Well, hello there! I’m here, I’m here! Life got a little crazy for the past 2 weeks–cakes and beyond (beyond and beyond), but I’m so glad to be back and focused on my personal mission to never wear a bikini again share all of my favourite cakes and baked goods with you, one by one. Strawberry cake has been on my recent would-love-to-make-again list, because, well, I just love the old-fashioned taste of strawberry cake and strawberry frosting. I did recently (my birthday) make a strawberry Swiss buttercream to top a dark chocolate cake (here), but I was still craving double strawberry cake, and, dare I say, more sugary-but-satiny frosting. Then, it happened: I was officially inspired by a jelly bean. Yep, a tiny, little, harmless jelly bean. See, a few weeks ago, while doing some “candy research” for another project, I found the discovered the yummiest jelly beans ever created, and I’m not even a “jelly bean girl.” I bought a bunch of Jelly Belly’s “Cold Stone Ice Cream Parlor Mix,” and these little things pack some serious ice cream flavour–I actually couldn’t even believe it. I think I may need to revisit the whole I’m-not-really-into-jelly-beans thing. This particular bunch I bought is a variety of ice cream related flavour combinations, including a pink one they call “Our Strawberry Blonde.” One little wee, pink jelly bean manages to pull together the flavours of strawberry ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, strawberries, caramel, and whipped cream…can you imagine? So, although I didn’t incorporate graham cracker pie crust or caramel (yet), I was inspired to create a sweet strawberry cake with an overall ice cream parlour taste.
For the cake, I went with a moist strawberry butter cake, frosted with whipped strawberry frosting that, for some inexplicable reason, tastes like strawberry ice cream (remember it in vanilla form, here?). I topped it with some whipped cream swirls, and, of course, the ice cream parlour jelly beans. I should say, though, that although I’m usually a bit more of a dessert purest, the cake recipe itself does use strawberry gelatin (yep, Jell-O) to boost the colour and flavour, in addition to the real strawberry puree. Although there are bakers out there that strive and succeed to use only puree and/or strawberry pieces to flavour the cake (and those recipes do look gorgeous), for some reason, I’m personally not offended by incorporating the gelatin. I was really close to going the purest route as well, but in this situation, I find the sweet strawberry flavour really reminiscent of my childhood, and I love it: I love that it’s pink, and I love the taste. Overall, it has a really ice cream parlour feel to me, and nothing bad ever comes from an ice cream parlour, does it?
On a sidenote, I get oodles of emails asking about slicing cakes, and how I get mine to slice “so perfectly,” so here are my thoughts on that–I’m not a cake-slicing expert, but I hope it helps in some way:
Tips for Cutting the Perfect Layer-Cake Slice:
1. All Cakes are Not Created Equal: The first issue is the type of cake you’re slicing–some varieties simply slice and serve neater than others. I find that very moist, light cakes, such as the Fluffy Vanilla Cake, tend to want to fall not so perfectly when sliced (although, we won’t hold that against it, or other cakes like that, because they are so yummy and uniquely delicious). That being said, I find that if I refrigerate those cakes for an hour or so after frosting, it does tend to set them a bit. The only issue with that, is that typically refrigeration butter cakes can dry them out a touch. Chocolate cakes I have no problem slicing neatly at room temperature, but they are particularly easy to slice when they are refrigerated for a short time as well. The great news is that oil-based chocolate cakes stay so moist, even once refrigerated, so that’s a definite win-win.
2. The Right Stuff: Slicing a cake with a sharp, long, thin knife is key for me when slicing layer cakes. I use a large glass of hot water to dip the knife into and dry cloth to wipe clean between each cut. This makes a huge difference, I find.
3. Method to the Madness: I believe that the method you use to slice your cakes is really important. I press the tip of the knife gently into the centre of the cake once I’ve placed it where the slice will be cut, then slowly begin to slice the cake with the knife’s tip cutting the cake just slightly before the rest of the knife, so that it is the first part of the knife to hit the bottom of the slice/cake plate. I use one relatively clean cut, but never a sawing motion. Once the entire knife has reached the bottom of the slice and is touching the cake board/plate, I slowly remove the knife straight out towards me, never letting the bottom of the knife lift from bottom of slice. To remove the slice from the plate, I like to slide the flat side of the knife under the cut slice, so it is supporting the entire piece, and gently remove it so it is resting on the knife. Then I usually lay it flat on a plate to serve. For photos I do often place the slice upright, which works for many cakes–you can judge the likeliness of that once you pull out the first slice, and go from there.
4. Size Matters: This may go without saying, but you’ll find that the taller your cake, the more difficult slicing the perfect slice can be, but it’s definitely not impossible. You’ll likely notice that two-layer cake will cut much cleaner than a 4, 5, or 6+ layer cake. Even a 3-layer cake can give you trouble if it’s too fragile or if you’re not using the right knife or method. If you follow steps 1-3, though, you will likely find that you can make it work.
5. Let Them Eat Cake: Just remember that my efforts to achieve super-neat slices of cake is mostly because I want to photograph a cake in its loveliest possible moment. When I serve cake at home, it’s not always neat and tidy because I insist on serving it as fresh and soft as possible. If it means a yummer-but-messy cake, I recommend just doing whatever it takes to get the cake to your guest in its freshest, tastiest form–even if it is a little messy. If you follow the above steps, really, it shouldn’t be sloppy, but some just may be cleaner cut than others.
I hope this helps!
Strawberry Layer Cake {click to print}
Yield: 3 x 8″ round layers
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups (12 oz/350 g) granulated sugar
1 (3 oz/85 g) package strawberry flavored gelatin (such as Jell-O)
1 cup (8 oz/227 g) butter, softened
4 eggs (room temperature)
3 cups (10.5 oz/300 g) sifted cake & pastry flour
1 tablespoon (15 mL/17 g) baking powder
3/4 teaspoon (3.75 mL/5 g) salt
1 cup (236 ml/8 liquid oz) whole milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract (I always use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup (2 liquid oz/4.5 oz/130 g) strawberry puree made from frozen strawberries (puree itself should be closer to room temp, not frozen or icy)
Method:
1. If you’re making your own strawberry puree, remove frozen strawberries (about 2 handfuls) from freezer and place in a single layer in a flat dish to thaw slightly. Place into food processor and puree the strawberries until smooth. Stir to ensure it is nice and smooth and not icy. Measure out 1/4 cup for cake and 3 tablespoons for frosting, and freeze the remaining puree for another use.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter, line with parchment, and flour three round 8-inch pans, tapping out the excess. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the milk, strawberry puree, and the vanilla. Set aside.
4. Sift and whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, and set aside.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar, gelatin, and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy–about 5 minutes.
6. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with spatula.
7. Add the wet & dry ingredients to the creamed mixture by alternating–beginning and ending with dry ingredients and mixing just enough after each addition to incorporate, but not overmix.
8. Divide the batter in three, spreading it evenly with a small offset palette knife. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh each pan filled with batter, to ensure 3 even layers.
9. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center. Be so careful to not overbake. Check cakes at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up and cool completely.
10. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Best eaten day one.
*Adapted from allrecipes.com
Whipped Strawberry Frosting (or, shall we call it Strawberry Ice Cream Frosting?)
Ingredients:
3 sticks + 2 tablespoons (13 oz/375 g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
4 cups sifted (18 oz/500 g) confectioners’ sugar (icing, powdered)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) milk
1 1/2 teaspoon (7.5 mL) pure vanilla extract — I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons (45 mL) strawberry puree made from frozen strawberries (if you want the frosting seed-free, you can put the puree through a sieve before adding to frosting)
Method
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except strawberry puree, and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy.
3. Add strawberry puree (can be cool, but not frozen or icy) and mix until incorporated.
4. Best used right away, but can be covered in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or so.
Strawberry Layer Cake Assembly
1. Place a cake layer face-up on cake plate or 8″ round thin cake board.
2. Place 1 cup of frosting on top, and spread evenly with a small offset palette knife.
3. Repeat step 1-2.
4. Place final layer, face-down (bottom of cake layer is facing out). Place a generous scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly with a small offset palette knife and working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Use a bench scraper to achieve very smooth sides. Chill until set — about 30 minutes.
5. Remove from refrigerator and cover with a final layer of frosting.
6. Finish with any decorations of choice, or frosting borders. I used stabilized whipped cream (1 cup whipping cream whipped with 1/4 tsp unflavoured gelatin) and Jelly Belly’s “Our Strawberry Blonde” jelly beans (combines the flavour strawberry ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, strawberries, caramel, and whipped cream…um, yummy!) You can buy them here: Our Strawberry Blonde Jelly Belly – 16 oz
7. A little tip to help make evenly spaced whipped cream (or other decoration) touches: Take a cake pan the same size and shape as your cake, trace onto a piece of parchment paper and cut it out. Fold it in 1/2, then again, and once more for 8 servings. Unfold, and gently place onto top of chilled cake, and using a toothpick make a little mark in the centre of each “slice,” where the whipped cream will go. Remove paper and keep for next time. Pipe your whipped cream overtop of each mark.
8. Store in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in refrigerator for up to 5 days. As with most cakes, it’s best eaten day 1.
*New! Check out the Baking Supplies I Love page for a list of what I use everyday in my kitchen.
Good luck & enjoy!
Love, Rosie xo
Oh this cake is just so beautiful and I can completely imagine how it tastes. It looks wonderful and I love the pink colour.
Wow, I’ve never thought of using Jell-O to flavour a cake before!! What would the cake be like without it? Also, do you have a milk obsession? Love your site. You give me website envy! :)
Thanks, Natasha! Haha, yes, I do have a thing for milk in photos, it seems. I think without the Jell-O you would have a fairly typical butter cake with a subtle berry flavour and a light almost-pink cake. Hope this helps!
Thats great thanks, just wondering if I can get it here in the UK. The hunt has started! Have a great day xx
Natasha, Tesco carry their own brand sachets of jelly crystals at 49p for two. They are in the aisle with the other jellies… I am making this tomorrow for my birthday on Wedensday, but with raspberry instead of strawberry, coconut milk instead of regular and adding grated fresh coconut to the batter… Can’t wait!! :-)
sounds great! coconut milk is a great alternative to regular milk with a very subtle taste to the finished cake. The issue I had with the Jell-O and similar is the it contains pork gelatin which I can’t have but I did track down a veggie alternative! Still haven’t made this cake though! tut tut
Yet another gorgeous cake of yours that I would love to make! I love strawberry cake and made one of yours already- huge hit!
Thanks so much, Lauren!
Hi let me start by saying I am in love with your blog and you really inspire me…I have a question I live in Australia and I don’t think we even have cake flour here could i use all purpose flour instead? If so, would the quantities be the same or is there a recipe for making cake flour? Also I was thinking of making with some good quality strawberry jam in each layer & just plain vanilla bean butter cream do you think the jam would overpower the taste of the cake? I am going to make this cake for my daughter’s 1st birthday next Sunday…wish me luck xx
This looks lovely, though I don’t recall if I’ve ever even had strawberry cake! Yellow cake with strawberrie yes, actually strawberry cake? I really don’t think so. I’ll have to keep this recipe and give it a try one day. Btw, for your next tutorial, can you go over how to ice a cake so smooth? I am getting better at it, but I am constantly amazed at how flat your get your top, and the nice clean, crisp edge you always have. Thanks!
Oh, Rosie!!! You make the impossible possible, and you will always surpass beyond. Congratulations for this recipe!!!It,s my favorite forever!!!!
Http://www.mipatisserie.blogspot.com
Hi Rosie !
Thank you for this amazing blog! I’m a 20-year-old French (sorry for my english) and I’m writing this little comment from my bedroom in my little French village (it’s 9:00 pm here !). I just want you to know that everytime I start my computer, the first thing I do is visit Sweetapolita, just to see if you have posted one of your fantastic recipes!
Your blog makes me dream and someday when I’ll have my own kitchen (and my kitchenaid ;-), I’ll try to make beautiful cakes just like you do. And I’ll see my husband and children eating those cakes and I’ll be the happiest woman in the world, just like you must feel. Your cakes are really beautiful and so are your daughters. Congratulations !
Oh, Rosie, you make the impossible possible, and you will always surpass beyond. Congratulations for this recipe!!! It’s my favorite forever!!!
http://www.mipatisserie.blogspot.com
This may seem like a dumb question, but, when you say to add the gelatin, do you mean add the jello (mixed with water as per jello instructions) or just the powder? Thanks! Great looking cake :)
She means just the powder Siobhan :)
Rosie,
This recipe sounds incredible. I can’t wait to give it a try for my Dad’s upcoming 80th birthday. He loves srawberries. I noticed you used Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract. Have you ever considered making your own using Madagascar vanilla beans? I just started my second batch and can’t wait until it’s done. It takes about 6 months to totally “ripen” but the flavor is incredible…merely “good” recipes become incredible. Love your website.
Even though I have coconut cake AND peanut butter cake in my house I’m now craving strawberry cake. I think I’m going to have to buy bigger pants.
I was just procrastinating making a cake for my little ones 1st birthday. Now I’m excited to get to in the kitchen adn start baking. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I can’t wait to try it!!!
I am a strawberry fan! I would love a slice of this cake!
I tried a few strawberry cake recipes that relied solely on the strawberry puree for flavor and found them to be lacking. They seemed to have this vague “berry-like” flavor, but not a distinct strawberry flavor. So I started adding the Jello to the puree to boost the flavor. For some reason I felt a little guilty about this (I don’t know why). So I am so happy to see you using both fresh strawberries and the Jello also! I feel more confident posting my recipe on my blog now…LOL :) I do intend on trying your recipe as well. Thanks so much :)
Maria @ Love & Sugar Kisses
This makes me want strawberry frosting so bad!
What a beautiful looking cake! When I first read strawberry flavoured gelatin my heart sank – I’ve never seen that in Australia. But then I scrolled down to the actual recipe – jelly crystals!!!!! I can do that! I tried to make mini strawberry cupcakes last year using strawberry essence – I thought I’d been pretty light handed but they tasted alcoholic! Definitely filing this recipe away for a future cake project!
What do you do with all your lovely cakes? You must share them around with other people. Surely!
This one looks lovely!
Oh Rosie, this cake is just so gorgeous. And those jellybeans sound delectable. My goal for next week: to make this cake!
I love your recipes. Just wow. And a beautiful cake, as always!!
Gorgeous cake, Rosie! I love how the tablecloth and your blog background are similar. You have such a pretty blog [and great recipes!] xoxo
You have no idea how excited I get when a new Sweetapolita recipe comes out! Even if I never get to taste them, just looking at them is mmmyum. I totally read this in bed on my Friday morning (day off). Perfect. thank you
Wow!!! love it, it has a wonderful colour!
This cake is simply beautiful. Love it!
This may be a silly question, but how are you making strawberry puree from frozen strawberries?
Can’t wait to try this recipe – strawberry cake is my absolute favorite!
Hi Daisy! Sorry, I’ve added the info as the first step in the recipe, so it’s there now. I put semi-thawed berries into the food processor and process and smooth. I add it into the cake once it’s closer to room temperature, or at least not cold and icy. Hope this helps!
It’s so beautiful!!!! Amazing recipe!
Just makes me smile! True perfection.
Another gorgeous cake….I will be making this soon!
Love it! You make the best cakes ever!
Wonderful cake, Rosie!. A pretty work, I love it.
Stunning cake and some great little hints :) They may seem obvious but its nice to know you are going about things the right way/if any improvements could be made. So thank you you genius baker you!
I love, love, LOVE strawberry cake! This one is so yummy looking. Quick question though? I would love to try and make this recipe into cupcakes? I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Do you have any tips on cooking temp and times?
Thanks!
Christie
Thanks, Christie! I would be they would make great cupcakes. I would think at 350°F for about 18 minutes, or so. Every oven is so different, so it may take a few more, but not likely less. Hope that helps!
What a beautiful cake! I absolutely love the color! Wish I could dive into that right about now.
ohmy! i just found you! (via your vanilla almond cake with anise frosting cupcake recipe) and those were the BEST cupcakes i’ve EVER eaten! i think i’m addicted to your site now! thanks for the wonderful recipes! gorgeous photography, btw.
It’s beautiful and the jello actually an answer to a prayer. I’ve been trying to make raspberry/lemon bars and that’s just what I need for a color boost too…thanks!
So no need to strain the pureed strawberries? I may add a splash of Chambord to the batter. I can’t wait to have this with an ice cold scoop of Strawberry Ben & Jerry’s on the side.
Simply stunning!!
your site is just magnificent & your baking is superior!
love your cakes & this one is no exception…your detailing is the best…i am truly inspired by your creativity!!
Made this for my daughter’s PINK 11th birthday party and it was a GRAND success. Love the natural flavour and she loved the PINK! Fabulous!! Can’t wait for the next one!!
That’s great, Trina! Happy Birthday to your pink-loving daughter! What great taste she has! ;)
Where did you find ice-cream flavored jelly beans?? I want them (and this stunning cake!).
A tiny short story. I’m wee sized too, on a stroll,whistling, walking along a curved pink road, following the most heavenly scent. I’m happy,and growing more so. Trailing my fingers against an edible white, puffed wall. The flavor is happy. Like me, Happy has a taste and I found it! I round the corner and find edible pink delicious rocks and the most beautiful strawberry wall street one wee could ever dream come true. I gaze up at this pretty,delicious, heavenly wall street and stay, all day. Happy as can be!
Parlour, Pink, Perfection, Masterpiece. Thank You!
Sounds like I need to get my hands on a bag of those jelly bellies fast! YUM!
Also, your food styling is so expert :) Beautiful.
It always puts a smile on my face when I see a post from you, I feel like a child in a candy shop, look at that cute adornment with the jelly belly bean. Love it. I need to buy some more cake stands!
Hi,
to echo what someone else asked, i’m outside of USA and the Jell-O you’re referring to is the ready-made jelly? as in the wobbly, solid jelly? Or the jelly POWDER? for a while, i even wondered if you were talking about jam because in the US you call some jams jelly too right?
Hi there! It’s Jell-O powder, that you buy in small packages. You’ll add the dry jello crystals to the butter and sugar to cream together. Hope this helps!
ok, got it. this goes on my list of to-makes. thanks!
btw, you have a great blog. i spent abt an hr this morning looking at all your beautiful creations. I’m not the frosting and decoration type at all but looking at all those beautiful, tall, perfectly frosted cakes with the neat sharp edges, for a while i like to think it’s all doable – but hahaha, i know better.
And your daughters, esp the little one, are just adorable. They have the bluest blue eyes…
I like the looks of this, it’s indulging. Can’t wait to get my piece of this.
Oh my!!!! Oh, how I have missed your baking! I cannot WAIT until next weekend ;)…
Hello! I just wanted to say thanks for posting this recipe! I’ve been looking for a strawberry cake like these and finally found it. Love your blog btw! My birthday is tomorrow and I want to bake me a cake. I’m a little confuse on one thing though, on the ingredients you say we need 3cups of sifted cake & pastry flour, does that mean I need 1 1/2cups of cake flour and 1 1/2 cups of pastry flour?
Thanks so much in advance!
Thanks, Diana! To clarify, it’s cake flour, but sometimes it’s referred to as “cake & pastry flour.” I hope that helps!
It does help! I was looking for pastry flour all over the stores last night and did not find it. Thanks again!
Your pictures make me want to eat cake alllll day long! Beautiful!
Hi Rosie!
I’ve never commented on here before, but I had to say that I love your blog, recipes and baking tips!
I just made this recipe last night, and since my efforts tasted AMAZING, I cannot imagine what your true cake tastes like!! Your above comment about baking as cupcakes was very helpful, since I’m amateur at best and my layer cakes look pretty rough. If anyone is curious, I got about 28 regular cupcakes and 24 mini cupcakes out of this recipe.
Also wanted to note that I used gluten free, vegan strawberry gelatin dessert mix and as far as I can taste that worked fine… Except I didn’t have the foresight to use additional food coloring so my cupcakes are more like strawberry surprise because they look like vanilla cupcakes! I didn’t do this on purpose, just Whole Foods was the closest grocery store :)
Anyways thank you again for posting your amazing recipes! Especially your Swiss meringue buttercream, which is the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life!
If you weigh the batter in the 3 pans and smooth out the batter you will be good! try it. This was my first layer cake that looked pretty! Good luck !
I see another award-winning food photo in your future, Rosie! Absolutely gorgeous! Not to mention mouth-watering! I will definitely be trying this cake in the near future. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes, and of course the most amazing photos to go along with them. <3
Hi Rosie!
As with all your cakes it’s GORGEOUS. Just a question. I know you use 2″ cake pans all the time and bake layers individually, but I have limited pans available and usually use a 3″ pan. Would this recipe still work with the 3″ pan baked a bit longer? What are your thoughts about 3″ pans ???
Thanks for sharing!
Michelle
Thanks, Michelle! Some of my pans are 3″, and they work just fine! I don’t think they take longer to bake, I would just go ahead with the usual bake-time. Hope this helps!
Hi Rosie,
Your creations are divine and i love looking at your beautiful photos. Also, thank you for ridding me of my fear of SMB – its now my absolute favourite icing!
I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for also putting the weight of the ingredients on your blog, as well as cups. Coming from the UK, it is so much easier to work in grams or ounces!
Thanks again!
Dawn.
The cake is beautiful and I am sure it tastes divine.
Wow!! J’adore les fraises et le rose!
Thank you for sharing that great recipe…
the cake is still in the oven but i’m sure that it will be very good!
marie-claudia
That is my favorite flavor jelly bean! This looks SO delicious I cannot wait to try to bake it.
I was so inspired by you and other blogs I decided to try start my own. If you have time, I would really appreciate if you took a look:
http://sugarandsliceandallthingsnice.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much!
What a cake..I guess every girls dream cake..btw do you think I could skip the jello and still manage to make the cake?I am a vegetarian and dont use gelatin..i do have some freeze dried strawberry powder if thats any good.
Absolutely love yr blog and yes you give me blog envy!
Gorgeous as always, Rosie. I’m so behind with my feed, so when this came up unread-I nearly fell out of my chair! Aside from being beautifully made this sounds wonderful.
I made these as cupcakes ~perfect!!!
Rosie – I made this cake for Labor Day and it was absolutely incredible. So moist and the strawberry flavor was divine. Thank you, as usual, for such an awesome recipe!! Love your blog! :)
I was wondering if you could suggest something I could use instead of milk? I know that is much to ask, but I’m making a cake for my daughters nana and she cannot have milk or nuts. Do you think rice milk would work? Obviously something that would not alter the flavor.
I always browse through your blog and end up feeling so inspired. Now I can’t wait for the next occasion so that I can try this strawberry frosting. It looks delicious!
Hey Rosie! This is an absolutely gorgeous cake – I’ve already made the cake and the frosting, I just have to assemble it tonight! Quick question, however: which tips did you use to pipe the borders and frosting topping? I’m no good at judging size.
Thank you!
HI Sweetapolita! Just made this cake for my sisters birthday she loved it thanks for the great recipe!
Although I found that the amount of batter only made enough for two layers other than that it was perfect :)
Thanks so much!
Hey Rosie!
I made this cake for my Granny’s 75th Birthday yesterday. First, THANK YOU for such a fool-proof recipe. Seriously. I got 3 perfectly baked cakes and exactly enough frosting to fill and cover the cake. Awesome. And that frosting?? Out of this world!! I can’t wait to try it with a dark chocolate cake. The strawberry cake was a little too sweet for some of us…I’m thinking that might be remedied by only using half the jello packet. Either way, awesome recipe – turns out even more beautifully than anticipated. Thank you so much for sharing it!
I just made this for my daughter’s 3rd birthday and it was such a big hit! The cake is so delicious and very strawberry and the icing, well, I almost made myself sick “testing” it , haha. So beautiful and yummy, thank you so much! I can’t wait to try those S’more cupcakes!
Hi Rosie, Ive made this cake just few days ago and it is absolutely delicious though to me I feel it is a little too sweet for me. I just want to say thank you for this recipe and I believe I will bake more recipes from here! Check out the strawberry layer cake that I have made though it is not as beautiful like yours.
Hi, The cake looks amazing and I would love to try it out… Is it possible to add some Vege-Jello (maybe the premade ones) instead of JellO. I am a vegetarian and would prefer to not use gelatin? Thanks!
I made this cake twice this week. lol. The second time I made it into cupcakes. The frosting is perfection! I also tried another version with cream cheese…so delicious! Thanks so much for the inspiration.
I have a question about the flour. you wrote cake and pastry flour? can i just use cake flour, would it make a difference? or did you mean cake or pastry flour?
Thank you, love your work :)
Thanks, Virginia! You can use cake flour, for certain. Where I buy my flour, the term is “cake & pastry,” but it’s cake flour that you want. I hope that helps!
This is my third cake from your site I am making for my daughters birthday! The first two was the rainbow cake and a lavender cake, both delish! I hope I can frost as pretty as you did, I have no experience in cake decorating, but would like to take classes in the spring!
I was wondering do you think you could substitute the jelly powder for strawberry milk powder to make a strawberry milk cake? or do you need the gelatin in the recipe? your website is just amazing by the way!!
Thanks Danielle! Hmm…I’m not sure about the strawberry milk, but I’m intrigued. I’m sorry I don’t have a definitive answer for you, but I’ve never attempted it that way. If you do, will you let me know how it went?
Sorry I posted my question in the wrong spot…
I made this cake tonight for my Christmas dinner and it looks wonderful. The frosting was to die for! I can’t wait to try the cake! Thanks for a delicious recipe. It will probably be a family favorite from now on!
I just made the perfect strawberry cake! It tastes amazing and looks so beautiful.
Thanks Rosie. I’m such a fan of yours.
Hi Rosie,
Would it be possible to make this without gelatine? Because I’d like to make this for my birthday cake :)
Verry pretty!
I mentioned you and this cake on my blog, I hope you don’t mind :)
Thanks so much, Ellen! xo
Will this recipe work as a cupcake?
Hi Rosie,
This cake looks amazing and I plan to make it in a few weeks; however I always am confused about the sifting.
Do I measure 3 cups of cake flour and then sift or Do I sift the flour right into my measuring cup? Thanks for your great recipes and your advice :)
I made this cake for my daughters Pinkalicious birthday party. It was a hit! The frosting tasted just like strawberries and creme. It was great! However, I would definitely follow the directions about not over baking. I overbaked by 2 mins and it was kind of dry. Make sure you pay attention! Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
Hi! I am in awe of your blog and I aspire to make every one of your amazing cakes! I do have a question however. I have used cake flour in another recipe before and hated the result due to the density. Will I have the same result with this cake? And if so Is it possible to use all purpose in this particular recipe and still have a delicious cake?
Hi! I had a question. I live in a very small town. And I’m in search for the pastry flour but it seems nobody carries it, and I’m trying to make this in 2 days for my daughters birthday. Is there something else I can substitute it with? Or close to it? I would really appreacite it.
Hi Maria,
Here’s a link to a recent post I did, Bring Me Flours, where you’ll learn about making your own cake & pastry flour (substituting with all-purpose/plain flour). Hope that helps! http://sweetapolita.com/2012/01/bring-me-flours/
Thanks you Rosie for getting back at me so soon. I think I found it, they call itwhole wheat flour, and the lady said its pastry flour. And it matched to what you posted about flours. Can wait to make it, thanks again!!!
Hi there! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. Who knew you could add jell-o to cake.
I do have a question about the flour….do you sift first and then measure, or measure and then sift? I believe there you will get a different quantity of flour in both techniques.
Can you please amend the recipe so that instead of writing “dry ingredients” you just write: flours, baking powder and salt? When I printed out the recipe, the step after this was on another page, and so I just mixed the sugar and gelatin in with the flours etc.
Then I accidentally dropped an eggshell into the butter during mixing! Maybe this is a sign I shouldn’t be baking today. :(
Thank you for sharing recipe! I love your Strawberry Cake! All my family and friends do to! Thank you!
I made this icing last night and I can confirm that it DOES taste like strawberry ice cream! I paired it with your rich and dark chocolate cake and it’s positively to die for. Thanks so much for sharing, Rosie :)
Hi! I just came across this post – I’m planning on making this cake next week for my sisters birthday!! It looks delicious, thanks for sharing … I’m off to check out the rest of your blog :)
I just finished baking the cakes and they look wonderful- can’t wait to frost.
Hi Rosie,
I just wanted you to know that this Whipped Strawberry Frosting is the BEST icing I have ever tasted in my life!!! And this is coming from a chocolate girl! ;) I’m making cake for 50 today, and it is THIS ONE! :) Thank you so much for sharing such incredible recipes!
Can the Whipped Strawberry Frosting be made without the strawberry puree? I am looking to make a strawberry cake but need the icing to be all white.
Can’t wait to make your strawberry cake!
Hi Steph,
You can definitely omit the strawberry from the frosting, and it will still taste great. Just a note that because it’s butter-based, it will be an ivory colour (not pure white). Hope that helps!
Is this frosting pipable? I have looking all over for a strawberry frosting thick enough to pipe. Have I found it???? :)
Thanks!
Hi Heather,
It is very fluffy, but I find it does pipe nicely for cupcakes. It has a creaminess to it, but the icing sugar makes it stable. If you add a bit more icing sugar, it will become even thicker and even more pipable. I hope this helps!
I halved the recipe to make a dozen cupcakes for my dads birthday and they were THE BEST Strawberry cupcakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First off….I LOVE THAT I HAVE STUMBLED UPON YOUR WEBSITE! You are simply wonderful in your creativity with your cakes! It seems as if you do it so effortlessly :)
I am a novice and hoping to become better because I love doing it! (my favorite section of stores used to be the clothing sections but now it’s the bakeware aisle that I run to every time!)
I am gonna try this cake out tomorrow morning for my mother’s birthday. I am sure she will love it! Maybe I can send a picture of my product?
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO INSPIRING :]
i was wondering if you could use strawberry pudding rather than strawberry jello? i know someone posted previously about using strawberry milk powder, but do you think any adjustments would need to be made and would it affect the taste? (i.e. less strawberry like?)
between this frosting and your strawberry smb, which one would you recommend? (like if you absolutely had to have one frosting, which would it be?)
I baked this cake with the frosting for Easter lunch and it was fantastic! Everyone loved this cake! Thank you for the great recipe. I have one question…Is this buttercream considered a crusting buttercream and could I cover this cake with fondant?
Thanks
Hi Alvina,
So glad to hear the cake was a success! I would recommend using a Swiss Meringue Buttercream for covering with fondant, simply because it’s so stable, not as sweet, and ideal for fondant work. I hope this helps!
hey rosie,
thanks so much for this recipie, i just made it for myself for my 15th birthday and it was the first layer cake i ever made. It came out great and my friends were all amazed after i took the cake out of the fridge and told them that i made it. This was a perfect cake and everyone said that it tasted like strawberry ice cream. THANK YOU SO MUCH ROSIE!!!! <3
Hi Jocelyn! Thanks so much for the note. I’m so glad to hear you made and loved the cake! Wishing you a belated 15th birthday! xo
Made this for my daughter’s 4th birthday. Added extra purée to my own favorite buttercream recipe and it was a huge hit! I agree with previous comment that it says to incorporate dry ingredients – then it says to cream the butter, sugar and Jello. I had already added the sugar and Jello with the dry ingredients. I was able to fix but it is a but misleading.
i made this frosting for a birthday cake, and i just wanted to let you know. I only had normal butter and i also only had 250g of it so i used 125g of cream cheese instead. It was amazing and i really wanted to say thanks heaps for the recipe coz i’d have been stuck without it.
Has anyone tried this recipe with a strawberry filling of some sort in between the layers?
I just finished making your strawberry cake (thanks for the recipe) but I need your help. I don’t think it turned out right. It’s really like corn meal in texture. Not like cake. And it’s pretty flat — didn’t really rise at all. And to top it off, the strawberry flavor isn’t really coming through. I’m so sad, but thinking about trying again. I used Arrowhead Mills pastry flour. Would that be my issue? I also used vegan strawberry gelatin. I don’t like cake flour so I thought I’d give the pastry flour a try. I wasn’t quite sure what flour you used in the recipe. Any ideas would be helpful. I am standing in a messy kitchen with cakes I’m not sure about. Any advice would be much appreciated!!! I am also getting ready in a day or two to make the Swiss meringue to cover it with the ruffle technique. Could I add the strawberry purée to it, or would that make it too water for the ruffles to hold? Thanks for everything. I love your blog!
Hi Carolyn,
Sorry to hear the cake gave you trouble! I hope I can help in some way. Let’s see, well it sounds as though something definitely went wrong, because I promise the cake should be moist and yummy. The cake & pastry flour is a term that’s used most often here in Canada (I’m assuming you’re in the US?), which is really the same as your cake flour. Pastry flour is okay too, although I don’t believe we have that here. It’s somewhere between all-purpose and cake flour as far as its gluten content and how tender it makes a cake. That really shouldn’t be the issue, nor would the vegan gelatin, I don’t believe. Typically, a coarse grainy/dry cake is a result of either too much liquid in the batter, or too much baking powder/soda, or the oven temperature too low. Is it possible that any of these issues are the culprit for you? The reason I wonder is because so many readers have made and loved this cake, and I too have made it several times, and I’m just not sure what happened in your case. To answer your question about the Swiss Meringue Buttercream, you can definitely add the puree to that (I do that often and love it)–just be sure to add it very gradually and beat in between additions. I would say no more than a tablespoon at a time of the puree. Hope this helps!
Oh you’re so sweet to respond so quickly! I’m trying it again right now — this time with all purpose flour minus a few tablespoons since its not cake flour — and a few other adjustments. I will you know how it goes. And I did make extra strawberry purée for my smb. Thank you!!!
Hi Rosie – you have an amazing site! I’m making this for Mother’s Day – can’t wait to taste it. Can you freeze the frosting or refrigerate for a couple days?
Wow! Rosie, thank you so much for sharing this recipe. This is the best cake we’ve ever tasted. I made this cake for my daughter’s 1st birthday (Charlotte), and OMG!! it was a hit. It was so easy to make, a lot of fun and definitely the best smelling cake I’ve ever baked. What a delicious cake and this is an understatement because it is that good. Everyone Loved it, and it is going to be my ‘signature cake’, i.e. the one I will bake for special occasions, including my wedding when it eventually happens. Oh my baby loved……. loved…. this cake. I made a few minor changes to it in order to accommodate my diabetes and my baby’s liking of bananas. I decorated with fresh strawberries and bananas too. Plus, because I made two layers, I used frosting with strawberry on the bottom layer and then frosting without the strawberry on the top layer and it tasted like two different cakes, both very delicious. Charlotte’s been wanting only a banana diet ever since!! :-). She loved everything from sticking her little fingers into the bowl for tasting and approving of course since before this cake, she didn’t like cake. She absolutely loved it. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe. Love to you and your family.