Triple-layer Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Perfect for any occasion, this Southern-style triple-layer strawberry cake (made from scratch!) is a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh, bright strawberry buttercream frosting.
Combine fresh strawberries and two tablespoons of sugar in a blender. Pulse until strawberries are reduced to a pulp.DO NOT blend until smooth. (You will use ½ cup of the puree for the cake. Reserve the remaining puree to use in the frosting.) Set aside and allow to the strawberries to macerate further while you perform next few steps.
Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. HINT: Line the bottom of the pans with parchment rounds for easy release and clean-up.
In a medium bowl, combine sifted flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Whisk together milk, strawberry puree, lemon zest, and vanilla. Set aside.
Use an electric stand mixer to cream together butter, sugar, dry strawberry Jell-O®, and salt. Beat in eggs yolks one at a time. Turn the mixer on low, and add the flour mixture into batter alternately with strawberry-milk mixture. Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and set aside.
In a clean, medium mixing bowl, whip the eggs whites until they form medium peaks. (Medium peaks can hold their shape, but the peak curls over when the beaters are lifted.)Use a clean spatula to gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.
Pour the cake batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
Allow cakes to cool in their pans over wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully tap out onto wire racks to cool completely. Wrap layers in plastic and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour before frosting.
Strawberry Frosting
Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, add powdered sugar to the whipped butter alternately with ⅓ cup pureed strawberries. Combine thoroughly into a soft, creamy mixture that will hold its shape.
Cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until the frosting firms up slightly.
Frosting Cake
Spread the top of the bottom layer of cake with frosting.Add the middle layer and refrigerate again until the frosting has firmed up a bit; about 10 minutes. Add the top layer and repeat.
For a cleaner frosting, apply a crumb coat to the entire outside of the cake first to keep the crumbs out of your final frosting. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
Complete frost the cake and decorate with fresh strawberries as desired.Decorate with fresh strawberries if desired.
Notes
Cake layers can be baked well ahead of time, then frozen for up to 3 months, until you are ready to frost them.
To freeze cake layers, first bake and completely cool the layers.
Wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap.
Wrap each plastic-wrapped layer in aluminum foil.
Use a permanent marker to label and dates the layers
Bonus: place each wrapped, labeled layer in a reusable freezer bag.