Vanilla Cake With Strawberry Icing
This vanilla cake with strawberry icing has a soft vanilla crumb and a creamy strawberry icing that gives every slice a fresh berry flavor. I use buttermilk and Greek yogurt in the batter to keep the cake moist and tender.
Equipment
- Two 8-inch round cake pans
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Fine mesh sieve
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula
- Cake turntable optional
- Food processor or rolling pin for crushing strawberries
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ¾ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups low-fat buttermilk room temperature
Strawberry Icing
- 1¾ cups freeze-dried strawberries finely crushed
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare the cake pans
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Give the sides a light dusting of cake flour.
Combine the dry ingredients
- Put the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Give everything a good whisk and set the bowl aside.
Beat the butter and sugar
- Add the softened butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat until light and creamy, about 3–4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Mix the cake batter
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, alternating them with the buttermilk. Start with the dry ingredients and finish with them as well. Add the Greek yogurt and mix until the batter looks smooth. Stop mixing once everything is combined.
Bake the cake
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28–35 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of each cake to check for doneness. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cake layers
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove them from the pans and place them on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before adding the icing.
Prepare the strawberry icing
- Crush the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Beat the butter until creamy, then slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, strawberry powder, and kosher salt. Beat until the icing is smooth and fluffy.
Put the cake together
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread some strawberry icing over the top. Add the second layer and spread the rest of the icing over the top and sides. If the icing feels a little soft, place the cake in the refrigerator for a short time. Slice and serve once the icing has set.