Easy Strawberry Layer Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 1/2 cups (320g) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 cup strawberry jam, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red food coloring or gel, as desired, optional
For the frosting
- 1 cup (22g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (340g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Up to 3 tablespoons milk, as needed
- A handful of fresh strawberries, sliced, for decoration
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment and lightly grease the paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients: To make the cake, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Make the cake batter: Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the strawberry jam and mix until combined. Mix in the rest of the dry ingredients, scrape down the bowl, then add the sour cream, vanilla, and red food coloring, if using. Mix just until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans. Gently spread into an even layer. Bake until a tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Set the pans on a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the pans on the rack, remove the pans, and peel off the parchment. Let cool completely.
- Make the strawberry powder: Once the cakes are cool, make the frosting. Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a spice grinder or mini food processor and process until a fine powder forms. Alternatively, place the fruit in a zip-top bag and pound using a rolling pin or similar instrument.
- Make the frosting: Add the cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, strawberry powder, and salt and beat on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium. Beat until creamy. If the mixture is too thick for your liking, add milk, a teaspoon or two at a time, and beat each time, until the desired consistency is reached. The frosting should be creamy and spreadable.
- Decorate the cake: If your cakes are domed on top, use a serrated knife to trim off the top of the dome so the cakes are mostly flat. Place one cake on a plate and top with just under 1/3 of the frosting. Spread into an even layer, reaching the edges of the cake. Top with the second cake layer and top with just under another 1/3 of the frosting. Spread into an even layer. Use the remaining frosting to frost the sides of the cake. Top with the sliced strawberries and serve. Store any leftover cake tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re not serving the cake right away, you can store it in the fridge, uncovered, for up to 2 hours.