Strawberry Cake (From Scratch)

Strawberry Cake (From Scratch) with Strawberry Buttercream is delicious. Fresh strawberry puree is added to a thick cake batter then baked until velvety and crumbly. Top the cake with fresh strawberry buttercream.

Ingredients

Strawberry Cake

2½ cups cake flour (spooned then leveled)
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced or thinly sliced
5 egg whites, room temperature
¾ cup milk (2% or whole preferred), room temperature
½ cup reduced strawberry puree (see below for ingredients and directions)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup vegetable oil
Pink food coloring

Other Ingredients

1½ pounds strawberries, stems removed

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup vegetable shortening
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup reduced strawberry puree

Instructions

First, make the reduced strawberry puree. Add fresh strawberries to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often until reduced by half and thick. Cool completely. I would suggest making this the night before or several hours before so that it's completely cooled and ready for use!
To make the cake, preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans; set aside.
Add the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into your mixer bowl and mix well.
With mixer on low-speed gradually add the chilled butter one piece at a time. Mix on medium-low speed until pea size crumbs form. Turn mixer off.
Whisk together all the wet ingredients in a bowl; egg whites, milk,1/2 cup strawberry puree, vanilla extract and vegetable oil.
Turn mixer on low-speed and add half of the wet ingredients then turn mixer to medium speed and mix for 90 seconds until thick, scrape down sides of the bowl. Add food coloring at this time if using. Turn mixer to low speed and add the rest of the wet ingredients in two additions mixing on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
Distribute batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until done. Check with a toothpick if needed. Let cool completely before frosting.
To make the buttercream, add the butter and shortening to a mixer and mix well. Add sifted powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Lastly, add salt and strawberry puree and mix for 1 minute on high speed, scrape down sides of bowl. Frost cake and garnish as desired. Chill cake in a sealed container to keep fresh for up to a week.