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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Fresh Strawberry Layer Cake

Tender, rosy-pink layers baked with a concentrated fresh strawberry reduction, frosted with tangy strawberry cream cheese frosting and topped with sliced berries.

Fresh Strawberry Layer Cake

Ingredients

  • 2¾ cups sliced450 gStrawberries400 g chopped for the reduction, 50 g sliced for the top
  • 2 tsp10 gLemon juice
  • 1⅛ tsp5 gCanola oil
  • 2¼ cups300 gCake flour
  • 2⅛ tsp10 gBaking powder
  • ½ tsp2 gBaking soda
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • 1¼ cups285 gUnsalted buttersoftened; 170 g for the cake, 115 g for the frosting
  • 1½ cups300 gGranulated sugar
  • 3 large150 gEggsroom temperature
  • 2 tsp8 gVanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120 ml)120 gWhole milkroom temperature
  • 1 cup225 gCream cheesesoftened
  • 2½ cups300 gPowdered sugarsifted

Steps

  1. Make the reduction first: blend the chopped portion of the strawberries until smooth, then simmer in a saucepan over medium heat with the lemon juice, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes until thick and reduced to about 2/3 cup. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Set aside two-thirds for the batter and one-third for the frosting.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush two 8-inch round pans with the canola oil and line the bottoms with parchment.
  3. In a bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the cake portion of the butter with the granulated sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
  5. In a small bowl, stir the whole milk into the batter portion of the strawberry reduction.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the strawberry milk in two, mixing on low just until combined.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
  9. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese with the frosting portion of the butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar gradually, then the frosting portion of the strawberry reduction until fluffy.
  10. Set one layer on a plate and spread with about one-third of the frosting. Top with the second layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
  11. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top. Chill 30 minutes to set, then cut into 12 slices. Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Milk, Egg, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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