Homemade Strawberry Cake

This strawberry cake completely blew me away.

After years of mediocre from-scratch strawberry cakes, my expectations were pretty low when it was time to taste-test. Biting into the first pastel pink forkful was a moment of truth. And I cried tears of joy.

Ingredients:

2 and 1/2 cups (250g) sifted cake flour (measured correctly)*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/3 cup (75g) sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (see note)*

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup (10-12g) freeze-dried strawberries*
one 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
salt, to taste

Find out Directions in the Next Page …