Have you ever gone strawberry picking? We lived less than 5 miles from a strawberry field for two years and kept promising ourselves that we would go, but we never did.
However, we did manage to at least go and buy some of the freshly picked strawberries, which are approximately nine trillion times better than the regular grocery store kind. If you’re able to pick your own strawberries, or pick up some legitimately ripe ones at a farmer’s market, please do. Then, make this cake.
I baked this strawberry cake on a whim when we were staying with some friends for our last few days in California. But I’m posting it today because it would work perfectly as a flag cake. Just pick up some delicious blueberries and make extra whipped cream.
In addition to the awesome fresh strawberries, this cake gets a little extra strawberry oomph from some strawberry Jell-O. You just stir a few tablespoons of the dry mix into some cake flour (here’s a substitute for cake flour if you can’t find any), then add that and shaken buttermilk to whipped butter and sugar. You don’t have to mess with layers or cake decorating, just pour it in a rectangular cake pan, spread the cream cheese frosting on it after it has cooled, and throw some strawberries on top. The result is a light, airy pink cake that works as well for a Fourth of July potluck as it does for brunch.
Summer strawberry cake (Makes one 13×9-inch cake. Adapted from Southern Living)
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh is best)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour substitute here
2 tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin (I used regular strawberry Jell-O)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shaken buttermilk
2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
Butter, shortening or cooking spray for greasing the pan
Parchment paper (optional)
Frosting (recipe below)
Additional fresh strawberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 13- by 9-inch pan OR line with parchment paper, letting about two inches hang over the sides, then spray the paper with cooking spray.
Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, then add the sugar and beat an additional 4 or 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, gelatin, baking soda and salt. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and beat on low speed just to combine. Add half of the buttermilk and beat on low to combine. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat, then beat in the remaining buttermilk, and finish with the remaining flour mixture. Stir in the strawberries.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center of the cake bounces back when touched lightly with your finger (or a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean). Let the cake cool in the pan for about a half hour, then remove it from the pan (you can use the parchment paper overhang as handles if you’ve used parchment paper). Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Strawberry cream cheese frosting (makes just enough to cover the cake)
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese (set it out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften)
2/3 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Beat the cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add the strawberries and beat until blended.
In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the heavy cream and lemon juice on medium speed until the mixture is foamy, then turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat the mixture until stiff peaks form, then fold about half of it into the cream cheese mixture. Add the rest of the cream and fold in to the frosting, then spread all over the top and sides of the cake.