Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Frosting
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This vanilla cake with strawberry frosting is moist, flavorful and has the most beautiful pink frosting. The recipe starts with a classic vanilla sheet cake that’s buttery and tender with a soft cake crumb. It’s topped with strawberry buttercream that’s made from real berries for the perfect strawberry flavor.
This vanilla sheet cake with strawberry buttercream is simple, elegant and perfect for feeding a crowd. It starts with classic vanilla cake that’s incredibly moist with a soft cake crumb and the perfect vanilla flavor that’s not too sweet. The cake is topped with strawberry frosting. The frosting really steals the show with it’s creamy texture, real strawberry flavor and beautiful pink color. While the frosting does take a few extra steps – the payoff is completely worth it.
This cake is made in a 9×13 inch pan – so there’s no need to deal with cake layers of decorating skills. It transports easily to potlucks, BBQs and parties – and the frosting is sure to impress.
For the Vanilla Cake
The vanilla sheet cake is a classic recipe that uses the creaming method. It’s simple, straight forward, and doesn’t require any fancy ingredients. The recipe uses primarily butter for the most flavor, but we’re adding in a little oil to keep the cake moist for longer. For liquid – this recipe uses both whole milk and sour cream. The combination keeps the cake incredibly moist without being too heavy.
There’s a few key steps and tips to ensure success:
- Ensure that the butter, eggs, sour cream and milk are at room temperature before getting started. This ensures that the batter mixes together evenly.
- Measure the flour carefully – too much flour and the cake can become dry. Always whisk first, then spoon into dry measuring cups and level off the top. For the most accurate results – weigh using a kitchen scale.
- Don’t forget to sift the flour! This is key for a lighter cake texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter – overmixing leads to a tough cake consistency and air tunnels in the cake. When mixing, I always do the last few additions of dry ingredients and milk by hand with a wire whisk.
- When the cake is done baking, it should be starting to pull away at the sides of the pan and an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (but no gummy cake batter). The top should feel slightly springy to the touch. Always go by cake done-ness tests, and not just by time as oven bake times will vary.
For the Strawberry Buttercream
The strawberry frosting is made with fresh or frozen berries. If using frozen, you’ll want to thaw them first (you can speed this up in the microwave). While some strawberry frosting recipes use Jello, jam or artificial flavorings – this recipe turns out with the best, real strawberry flavor and creamy texture.
You’ll first need to puree the berries and then reduce the puree to concentrate the flavor and remove excess liquid. This is absolutely necessary – otherwise the frosting won’t have enough strawberry flavor and can end up watery or separate.
Here’s the rundown:
- Puree the berries in a food processor blender until smooth.
- Pour the puree through a metal sifter to remove the seeds – you will likely need to use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to push the puree through.
- Transfer the puree to small-medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir constantly as the mixture gently boils. It will start to thicken and turn a deep red color. When it’s thick like jam and about 1/3 of the original volume – after about 20 minutes, remove from the heat and cool fully.
- Then the process is just like a traditional buttercream. Beat the butter until smooth. Then mix in the powdered sugar, reduced and cooled strawberry puree, a touch of salt and whipping cream (if needed).
Make Ahead Tips
Make the cake 1 day before you plan to serve. Cool fully, then cover the pan and store at room temperature overnight.
For the frosting, puree the berries and then reduce the puree the day before you plan to serve (steps 1-3 of the frosting recipe). Cool the reduced puree fully, then store in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. Finish the frosting, and frost the cake the day you plan to serve.
More Delicious Strawberry Desserts to Try
- Strawberry Layer Cake – this is a strawberry infused cake with strawberry frosting
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Strawberries n’ Cream Cake
- Strawberry Cupcakes
Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Frosting
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2¾ cup all-purpose flour (343 grams), measured properly
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (168 grams), softened but not starting to melt
- 1½ cup granulated sugar (300 grams)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (60 ml), or canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk (240 ml), room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream (80 ml), room temperature
Strawberry Frosting
- 1 cup sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), slightly softened but still slightly cool to the touch
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (330-440 grams), AKA soft icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream (15-30 ml), if needed
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) metal cake pan.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk for about 20 seconds. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until creamed – about 2-4 minutes. It should look fluffy and have lightened in color.
- Beat the oil and vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Then mix the eggs into the butter mixture 1 at a time. Between adding each egg, turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Mix the sour cream into the butter mixture.
- With the mixer on a low speed, beat the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture – alternating between additions. Start by beating ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then mix in ½ of the milk. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Repeat the process until all of the flour mixture and all of the milk is incorporated. I like to do the last few additions by hand using a wire whisk to avoid overmixing. Stop mixing as soon as there are no more lumps.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 32-37 minutes, or until the top is slightly springy to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The cake should be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool the cake in the pan.
Strawberry Frosting
- Place the sliced strawberries in a food processor or blender until pulse until smooth.
- Pour the puree through a metal sifter to remove the seeds. You will likely need to use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to push the puree through the sifter.
- Transfer the puree (seeds removed) to a small-medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil while constantly stirring. Keep stirring as the puree thickens and darkens in color. When the puree is thick – almost like jam – and about ¼ to ⅓ of the original volume, remove from the heat. You should have about ¼ cup. Remove from the heat and cool fully. You can speed up this process by transferring to a heat proof bowl and then placing in the fridge.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Add in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of the fully cooled reduced strawberry puree and salt. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed. Once combined, beat in a bit more powdered sugar (about ⅓ cup at a time) or a little more reduced strawberry puree until the desired sweetness and thickness is reached. If the frosting still seems too thick, beat in a little whipping cream – 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Frost the fully cooled vanilla cake, using a flat edge offset spatula or the back of a large spoon.
Notes
- Flour: Always whisk first, then spoon into dry measuring cups and level off the top. For the most accurate measuring – use a kitchen scale. 1 cup flour weighs 4 1/4 ounces or 125 grams.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The butter, eggs, milk and sour cream must be at room temperature before getting started. Take them out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to when you plan to make the cake.
- Milk: Instead of whole milk, you can use 2% milk. However, whole milk will give the best results. Do not use skim milk, as it does not have enough fat to produce a tender cake.
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen work. If using frozen, I recommend thawing the berries first to make the process easier.
- Storage: Unfrosted cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 48 hours. Frosted cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 8 hours, or in the fridge for up to 4 days (fresh cake is always best). If the cake has been in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before enjoying. This ensures that the cake isn’t cold and dense.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only based on 1 slice of cake with frosting, assuming the cake yields 15 uniform slices and all the frosting is used. You can easily get 18 smaller slices with this recipe.
