Strawberry Velvet Cake (Printable)
Moist, luscious cake with fresh strawberry purée and creamy frosting
# What You'll Need:
→ For the 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)
→ For the Strawberry Purée
13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
→ For the 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
→ For Decoration
20 - Fresh strawberries, halved or sliced
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat the 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 the cake and 1/4 cup for the frosting.
03 - In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
05 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
06 - Mix in the strawberry purée and food coloring, if using.
07 - Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
08 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
10 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and strawberry purée until well combined.
11 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top. Add the second cake layer and coat the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
12 - Decorate with fresh strawberries. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing for clean layers.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly soft, like eating a strawberry scented cloud
- Fresh strawberry purée makes every bite taste like actual berries, not artificial flavor
- The cream cheese frosting strikes that perfect balance between tangy and sweet
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable here. Cold ingredients will curdle your batter and create dense spots.
- Overmixing after adding flour develops gluten, making the cake tough instead of velvety.
03 -
- Freeze fresh strawberries during peak season to make this cake year round
- For extra strawberry intensity, add diced fresh berries between the layers