Hamdi Saidani This Pioneer Woman Strawberry Cake is a moist and fluffy recipe, which is made with a fresh strawberry puree and tangy sour cream. It’s the perfect dessert for any celebration, ready in about 4 hours.
Pioneer Woman Strawberry Cake Ingredients
For a cake bursting with real strawberry flavor.
For the Strawberry Puree:
- 1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
For the Cake:
- 2 and 1/2 cups (295g) cake flour, spooned & leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80g) full-fat 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 (from above)
- Optional: 1–2 drops red or pink food coloring
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt, to taste
How To Make Pioneer Woman Strawberry Cake
A step-by-step guide to the perfect strawberry layer cake.
- Make the Strawberry Puree: Puree the fresh strawberries in a blender until smooth. Pour the puree into a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced by half, down to ½ cup. This can take 25-35 minutes. Let it cool completely.
- Prep the Oven and Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg whites one at a time, followed by the sour cream and vanilla.
- Finish the Batter: With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Gently whisk in the cooled, room-temperature strawberry puree and food coloring, if using.
- Bake and Cool the Cakes: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 24–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 1 hour before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Frosting: Process the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder using a blender or food processor. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low, then increase to high and beat for 3 minutes until creamy.
- Assemble and Frost the Cake: Level the cooled cakes by slicing off the domed tops. Place one layer on a cake stand, spread with about 1 cup of frosting. Top with the second layer. Apply a thin “crumb coat” of frosting all over the cake and chill for 20 minutes. Cover the cake with the remaining frosting.
Recipe Tips
For the most delicious homemade strawberry cake.
- How to get the most strawberry flavor? The secret is using a reduced strawberry puree in the cake and freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting. Reducing the puree concentrates the flavor without adding excess water, and the freeze-dried berries provide an intense, authentic strawberry taste to the frosting.
- Why use cake flour? Cake flour is finer and has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour. This creates a lighter, softer, and more tender cake crumb, which is perfect for this recipe.
- How to prevent a dense cake? Ensure all your cold ingredients (butter, eggs, sour cream, milk) are at room temperature. This helps them mix together smoothly, creating a uniform batter that traps air for a light and fluffy final cake. Also, be careful not to overmix once the flour is added.
- Can I make this cake ahead of time? Absolutely. The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature for a day. The frosting can also be made ahead and refrigerated. Let it soften slightly at room temperature before frosting the cake.
What To Serve With Strawberry Cake
The perfect pairings.
This cake is a showstopper on its own, but it’s also wonderful with:
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
- A dollop of fresh whipped cream
- A glass of cold milk or prosecco
How To Store Strawberry Cake
Keeping your cake fresh and tasty.
- Refrigerate: Due to the cream cheese frosting, this cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Cover it tightly with a cake dome or plastic wrap, and it will keep for up to 5 days.
- Serve at Room Temperature: For the best flavor and texture, let the cake sit at room temperature for about 1-2 hours before serving.
Strawberry Cake Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per serving.
- Calories: 560 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 75 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Fat: 28 g
- Sugar: 55 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Cake flour is highly recommended for the best texture. If you don’t have it, you can make a substitute: measure 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, remove 5 tablespoons of flour, and add 5 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift this mixture together a few times before using.
Where do I find freeze-dried strawberries?
They are typically found in the dried fruit or snack aisle of major grocery stores like Target or Trader Joe’s, and can also be purchased online. Make sure they are the crispy, freeze-dried kind, not the chewy, dried kind.
Why did my frosting turn out runny?
This often happens if the butter or cream cheese is too soft. They should be at room temperature, but still cool to the touch. To fix runny frosting, chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour to help it firm up before you try to frost the cake.
Try More Pioneer Woman Recipes:
- Pioneer Woman Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Ice Cream Sandwich Cake Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Carrot Cake Recipe
Pioneer Woman Strawberry Cake Recipe
Description
A truly special from-scratch strawberry cake, packed with intense, fresh flavor from a reduced strawberry puree and topped with a dreamy strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make a reduced strawberry puree by simmering pureed strawberries until halved in volume; cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans.
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg whites, then sour cream and vanilla.
- Alternate adding combined dry ingredients and milk. Stir in the cooled strawberry puree.
- Bake for 24-25 minutes. Cool completely.
- Make frosting by beating cream cheese and butter, then adding powdered freeze-dried strawberries, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Assemble and frost the cooled cake layers.
Notes
- u003cliu003eUsing room temperature ingredients is crucial for a light and fluffy cake texture.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eDon’t skip the step of reducing the strawberry puree; it’s key to the cake’s intense flavor.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eA thin u0022crumb coatu0022 of frosting, chilled for 20 minutes, will help you get a clean, beautiful finish on your final layer.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eCake flour provides the best tender crumb, so try not to substitute it.u003c/liu003e
