Freeze Dried Strawberry Cake Recipes

FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH FREEZE-DRIED STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Wash and removed strawberry leaves. Pat dry with paper towel and puree strawberries in blender. Transfer in sauce pan over medium low heat to reduce strawberry puree. Consistency should be thick and not runny. Let it cool before adding to the batter. This can be done ahead of time stored in the fridge in a sealed container.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177°C). Grease with butter and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Make Cake Batter: Combine cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Use a mixer with whisk attachment, beat butter and sugar together for 2 minutes on high until smooth. With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl occasionally. Add egg whites, beat for a minute on high then stir in sour cream and vanilla extract. Continue beating for another minute on high speed until well combined. Switch to low speed, add dry ingredients until mixed then slowly pour milk just until combined. Don't overmix. Stir in ½ cup of the reduced strawberry puree until well blended making sure no lumps at the bottom of bowl. If you like, add 1 to 2 drops of gel pink or red coloring.
• Pour batter evenly in greased pans and bake between 24 to 25 minutes or until fully baked. Do the toothpick test, insert toothpick at the center and if it comes out clean, it is done. Leave the cake in the pans to completely cool on a wire rack.
• Make the Freeze-Dried Strawberry Buttercream Frosting: Use a blender, food processor or coffee grinder (clean of coffee grounds) blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery texture. It will yield just over ½ cup. Set aside 2 tablespoons for dusting top of cake.
• Note: Cover top of blender with saran wrap if there's a small opening so strawberry powder particles don't escape.
• Using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat cream cheese for a minute on high speed until smooth then add butter. Beat until combined then add confectioners' sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder, 1 tablespoon milk and vanilla. Continue beating on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. To thin out frosting, you may add 1 more tablespoon of milk. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. This will yield 3 cups of frosting.
• Assemble and Frost the Cake: If top of cake surface is quite flat, you don't need to slice a thin layer off the top otherwise if you have to, use a serrated knife (discard or eat it with some frosting.) Place a cake layer on a cake stand and evenly spread ¼ inch of frosting on top of cake. Place the 2nd cake layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Place 2 tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberry powder in a small strainer. Sprinkle top of cake thinly with strawberry powder. Refrigerate cake for at least an hour, so it is less crumbly when slicing.
• Decorate cake with fresh strawberries. Brush the strawberries with a thin coat of heated mixture of apricot preserve and water to prevent it from weeping and retain it's vibrant color. Or just add strawberry before serving.
• Note: I prefer to bake the cake the night before and let it cool off in room temperature overnight covered with a mesh screen food protector or place it in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Cake is less fragile, less crumbly and easier to work with.
• Store leftover cake in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Over 5 days, wrap in plastic then foil and store in freezer up to 2 months.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Make the reduced strawberry puree and allow it to cool completely. See note. You can make it a few days ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator or cover and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw before using in the recipe.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk *just* until combined. Do not overmix. Whisk in 1/2 cup of reduced strawberry puree, making sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick. Stir in food coloring, if desired. (I use 1 small drop.)
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 24-25 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
• Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should have around 1/2 cup crumbs. Set aside. In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners' sugar, strawberry powder, 1 Tablespoon milk, and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add 1 more Tablespoon of milk to slightly thin out, if desired. Taste, then add a pinch of salt if needed. Yields about 3 cups of frosting.
• First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake keep its shape when cutting- it could slightly fall apart without time in the fridge.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

REALLY REAL STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with 20 cupcake liners (for mini cupcakes, line 72 mini muffin tins).
• Grind strawberries into a fine powder using a coffee grinder or food processor. Whisk strawberry powder, all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in vanilla extract.
• Stir flour mixture, alternately with the milk, into butter mixture until just incorporated. Fill lined tins with cupcake batter.
• Bake in preheated oven until cupcakes spring back when gently touched with a fingertip or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes for regular cupcakes, 8 to 10 minutes for mini cupcakes.