Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

This homemade mini Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is made with both fresh and freeze dried strawberry, packing a powerful punch of strawberry flavor and a pretty pink color without any artificial flavoring or food dye.

Some of you asked and I delivered, a small strawberry cake with tons of strawberry flavor packed in two 6” layers and topped with a tangy strawberry frosting. The miniature cake size makes this strawberry cake perfect for a small celebration.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Sized for a small crowd – this cute strawberry cake with strawberry frosting is perfect for a small celebration. Less leftovers to store away or waste if you don’t have room in the fridge.
• All natural – the light pink color of the cake and frosting comes from a very special ingredients: freeze-dried strawberries! No food coloring is needed here.
• Tangy and not too sweet – this cake is topped with a not too sweet strawberry cream cheese frosting that’s a touch tangy from the cream cheese, giving this fresh strawberry cake a unique flavor.

Tools you’ll need

• A food processor to process the freeze-dried strawberries into powder.
• A stand mixer or an electric hand mixer will be useful for making the cake batter and especially useful for making the frosting. While the cake batter can be made easily by hand, beating the cream cheese frosting by hand is a bit more labor intensive and would definitely benefit from modern technologies.
• Two 6 inch cake pans to bake the strawberry cake layers.
• An offset spatula, a pastry bag with piping tips for frosting and decorating the cake.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

1. Freeze-dried strawberries – You’ll use one 1 oz bag of freeze-dried strawberry in this recipe, half in the cake and half in the frosting. I usually get mine at Target. To save a step, you can get freeze-dried strawberry powder online. But if you can only find sliced freeze-dried strawberries, you can simply pulverize them into a powder using a food processor or a good blender.

2. Fresh strawberries – You’ll use pureed fresh strawberries in the cake batter for additional strawberry flavor. The recipe specifies half a cup of puree, this means you need to blend the fresh strawberries into puree first and then measure half a cup. You can also substitute frozen strawberries.

3. Buttermilk – You can use store bought buttermilk or make your own buttermilk by adding lemon juice, yogurt, or sour cream to regular milk. Or simply substitute buttermilk with all yogurt or sour cream if you don’t have any regular milk. The acidity in buttermilk will tenderize the gluten in the flour resulting in softer crumbs. It also reacts with baking soda in the batter to help the cake rise.

4. Oil – While butter adds flavor to cakes, oil makes them ultra moist. Since we want the flavor of the strawberry to shine, I recommend using a flavorless oil like vegetable or canola in this 6 inch strawberry cake recipe.

5. Butter – For the best of both world, you’ll also use unsalted butter in this cake batter for that delicious buttery taste.

6. Egg – 2 large eggs are used to bind everything together.

7. Sugar – Granulated sugar is used in this cake to add sweetness. You can substitute brown sugar or other type of sugar in the same amount.

8. Flour – All purpose flour is just fine for this cake, but you can also use cake flour for even more tender cake. And if you need to make a gluten free version, try an all purpose gluten free flour.

9. Leavening agents – Both baking soda and baking powder are used here. Baking soda will react with the acidic buttermilk to provide lift while baking powder will work when the temperature of the batter heats up in the oven.

10. Salt – I use kosher salt, just a small amount will enhance the flavors and add complexity to the cake. If you only have table salt, use half to two thirds as much.

11. Vanilla – Use only pure vanilla extract to add more flavor, warmth and complexity to this cute strawberry cake.

12. One batch of strawberry cream cheese frosting which includes full fat brick cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder and vanilla extract.

How to make mini strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting

The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Pulverize the freeze-dried strawberries

Add freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor or blender and pulse until a fine powder forms. Divide the powder into two portions, use half of the strawberry powder for the cake batter and reserve half for the frosting.

Tip: I recommend draping a kitchen towel over the food processor so the powder doesn’t puff up everywhere. Once done, let it settle for a bit before opening the lid.

Puree the fresh strawberries

In the same food processor, without washing, process the fresh strawberries into a puree. You’ll use this with the liquid ingredients for the cake batter.

Make the strawberry cake

Beat the egg with the sugar in your stand mixer until light in color and well mixed.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together all of your dry ingredients and mix until evenly distributed. Then add this to the egg mixture, mix until creamy.

In another mixing bowl, beat together the liquid ingredients: pureed strawberry, buttermilk, oil, melted butter and vanilla extract. Add this to the stand mixer bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the side and the bottom of the bowl to ensure the batter is well mixed.

Divide the batter into two prepared 6 inch cake pans as evenly as possible, I used a kitchen scale for exact measurement. Bake the cakes for about 25-27 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool to the touch before removing them from the pan. To remove the cakes, use a butter knife to loosen the side gently, flip the pan over and tap until the cake come out. Let cool completely before adding frosting.

Make the strawberry cream cheese frosting

Beat together softened butter and cream cheese along with vanilla until creamy. Add powdered sugar and freeze-dried strawberry powder and stir on low speed until combined, then increase the mixer speed and beat until fluffy.

Assemble the cake and decorate

When the cakes are completely cool, use about half a cup of frosting to fill between the two layers, use another half cup of frosting on top and the rest to frost the side of the cake. If there are some leftover, you can pipe some swirls atop the cake.

More baker’s tips

• Use the right size cake pans – You’ll need two 6” Cake Pans for this fresh strawberry cake recipe. I like to bake each layer separately so I don’t have to cut the cake in half. If you want to bake this batch in 1 pan, I recommend the one with 3” side to avoid spilling over, note that baking time will need to increase since more batter will take longer to bake.
• Butter your cake pans – Make sure to butter these cake pans really well, do not use a spray, sometimes I find spray not as effective as butter especially when the pan is not already non-stick. I also recommend lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper cut to size, this makes getting the cake out of the pan so much easier
• Serving size – This little 6” strawberry layer cake will serve from 6 generous slices up to 8 smaller ones. It will make a delicious birthday cake that’s not too big because I know we all have a love/hate relationship with left over.

Storage

If you happen to have a few slices leftover of this small batch strawberry cake, you can keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay moist for up to 5 days. You can keep them out at room temperature while serving but I don’t recommend keeping them out overnight since the strawberry cream cheese frosting is made with dairy products.

Strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting can be frozen whole or in individual slices. Frozen cake will last up to three months. Before wrapping the cake for the freezer, refrigerate or flash freeze it so the frosting hardens, then wrap well and store in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a couple of hours before serving

FAQs

More Mini Cakes

• Mini Chocolate Cake
• Mini Carrot Cake
• Mini Birthday Cake
• Mini Lemon Cake
• Mini Blueberry Lemon Cake
• Mini Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

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📖 Recipe card

Strawberry Cake

This homemade Strawberry Cake is made with fresh and freeze dried strawberry for the extreme fresh strawberry flavor without any artificial flavor nor food coloring. It is also made in two 6” cake pans for a smaller size layer cake without a lot of left over.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 27 minutes minutes

Total Time: 57 minutes minutes

Servings: 7 slices

Calories: 735kcal

Author: Trang

Equipment

• Food Processor
• Stand Mixer

Ingredients

Cake

• ▢ 2 large egg (room temperature)
• ▢ ¾ cup granulated sugar (135 g)
• ▢ ¼ cup freeze dried strawberry powder (14 g, ½ oz)
• ▢ 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (160 g)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (1 g)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda (1 g)
• ▢ ½ cup pureed strawberry (113 g, 4 oz)
• ▢ ⅓ cup buttermilk (74 g, room temperature)
• ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil (50 g)
• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter (56 g, melted)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (3 g)

Frosting

• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese (227 g, room temperature)
• ▢ 8 oz unsalted butter (227 g, room temperature)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (3 g)
• ▢ 1 cup powder sugar (100 g)
• ▢ ¼ cup freeze dried strawberry powder (14 g, ½ oz)

Instructions

Prepare the strawberry powder

• Add 1 oz of freeze dried strawberry to a food processor and process until a powder forms. Keep a kitchen towel draped over the food processor to prevent the powder puff up.
• This should yield ½ cup. Use ¼ cup for the cake batter and the remaining ¼ cup for the strawberry cream cheese frosting.

Make the cake batter

• Preheat oven to 350°F and butter two 6” cake pans, set aside.
• In the same food processor used previously for the freeze dried strawberry, add the fresh strawberry and puree. Add strawberry puree in a small mixing bowl along with buttermilk, vegetable oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Beat together with a whisk until smooth and set aside.
• Add egg and sugar to the stand mixer bowl and beat until light in color.
• Add ¼ cup of strawberry powder to a small mixing bowl along with flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix with a whisk to distribute evenly and add to the egg mixture. Mix until combined and creamy.
• Add the liquid mixture set aside earlier to the stand mixer bowl and mix until combined. Use a spatula to scrape the side of the bowl and bottom to make sure the batter is well mixed.
• Divide batter evenly into the prepared 6” cake pan, about 345 g of batter per pan.
• Bake in the middle oven rack for 25 – 27 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to the touch. Use a butter knife to loosen the side and flip the cakes out of the pans. Allow the cakes to cool right side up on a wire rack.

Make the frosting

• In the stand mixer bowl, add softened butter and cream cheese along with the pure vanilla extract, mix with the whisk attachment at medium low speed and gradually increase speed to medium high and beat until thoroughly combined.
• Stop the mixer to add powder sugar and the remaining ¼ cup of strawberry powder, mix at low speed to incorporate the powder mixture into the cream mixture, then gradually increase speed to medium high and beat until thoroughly combined and fluffy.

Assemble the cake

• When the cakes are completely cool, place 1 layer on a cake stand or plate. Put a few pieces of parchment paper underneath the cake to cover the cake stand or plate. This is to keep the frosting from smearing everywhere.
• Add ½ cup of frosting on top of the first layer and even it out with an offset spatula. Add the second layer of cake on top.
• Frost the side and top to your liking. If there is any left over frosting, add piping decoration on top. Carefully pull out the pieces of parchment paper underneath the cake.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

• I buy freeze dried strawberry from Target. One package is typically 1 oz and enough to make both the cake batter and frosting for this cake.
• This small cake will serve 7 good size slices or up to 8 smaller slices. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 223g | Calories: 735kcal

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