So not only have I been seriously skipping out on the gym recently, but now I’m also eating cake for breakfast.
Oops.
But it gets worse. I might have also eaten four pieces of this cake in a single day. Might have… as in yes I totally did.
But this is totally redeemable when you consider the fact that it is chock-full-o’ fresh strawberries.
So, it’s practically a healthy breakfast. Right?
Right. We’ll go with that.
ANYWAY, tis the season for ripe, red, fresh strawberries. I highly recommend you take advantage of that the same way I did and make this cake.
But when you do, do yourself another favor and stick it in the fridge for a couple of hours before indulging. This allows that fresh-picked strawberry flavor to really really come out in this moist, strawberry-dense cake (no Jello-flavoring needed here).
And that frosting… my new favorite frosting. It’s so airy and light, a classic cream cheese icing flavor whipped with heavy cream until it’s light and fluffy… it will literally melt in your mouth. It’s so delicate, and so delicious.
So… is cake for dinner not a good idea either?
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup strawberry puree* see note
- 4 eggs
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Frosting
- 1 package cream cheese softened, 8 oz
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare two 9 1/2" round cake pans by greasing bottoms and sides with crisco and lightly flouring them. Set aside.
- In mixer, combine oil, milk, and sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and an even, hazy, yellow-ish. color.
- Add in pureed strawberries, beat again for about 1 minute.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Beat well.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- Measure out your sour cream.
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour and sour cream, alternating between the two until flour mixture and sour cream are combined.
- To achieve a brighter, more pink color, add red food coloring to your cake mix (I added approximately 5 drops of red food dye).
- Divide cake batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees on center rack of oven for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean (few crumbs).
- Allow cakes to cool fully after baking before frosting and serving.
Frosting
- In mixer, combine cream cheese, vanilla extract and sugar, beating until evenly combined.
- Increase speed of mixer to medium-high and slowly, gradually pour in heavy cream.
- Beat until frosting achieves light, airy texture (about 2 minutes on high speed)
Notes
Optional: For a strawberry-flavored center frosting, set aside a portion of the frosting that you will use for the center of your cake and (by hand) stir in additional/leftover strawberry puree until you reach your desired level of strawberry-ness.
Kaci says
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes?!
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Kaci! Yes, you can! I hope that you enjoy them! 🙂