Fresh Strawberry Triple Layer Cake

I don't know about you, but THIS family is always in search of the perfect strawberry cake. It seems like one of the boys always requests a strawberry cake as his birthday cake. So, that gives me another reason to try new recipes. This one's a winner. It's a "made from scratch" cake, but don't let that deter you.

It's almost as easy as making a cake from a boxed mix. Give it a try and you won't be disappointed! You might find that you have a new talent for baking!

Fresh Strawberry Triple Layer Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup strawberry puree* (instructions follows)

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

Strawberry Puree

Process fresh or frozen (and thawed) strawberries in a food processor or blender until very smooth. Approximately 3 cups strawberries will yield 1 1/2 cups of strawberry puree.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour three 9 inch cake pans. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, vegetable oil, baking powder, salt, strawberry puree, vanilla, and eggs.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
4. Allow cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
5. Chill cakes for one hour before frosting.
6. Frost cakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows).
7. Store completed cake in refrigerator.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup strawberry puree

6-7 cups powdered sugar

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix well. Mix in strawberry puree.
2. Working in one cup batches, mix in powdered sugar.
3. If frosting is still a thinner consistency after adding all powdered sugar, refrigerate before using to frost cake. (Frosting will be thinner than most buttercream frostings because of the amount liquid added from strawberry puree.)

Notes:

If after reading this you still don't think you're "up" to making an entire strawberry cake from scratch, don't worry, we've got you covered.

Head over to check out our Triple Strawberry Cake recipe. It's a doctored recipe that starts with a boxed mix.

If THAT seems too daunting, try our Strawberry Cheescake Trifle recipe. It starts with a purchased Angel Food Cake. Can't get any easier than that!