Intense Double-Strawberry Sheet Cake (8x8-inch)
This intense double-strawberry sheet cake is for people who are tired of "strawberry" cakes that taste like pink food coloring and disappointment. A concentrated strawberry reduction gets folded into the cake batter while freeze-dried strawberries transform ordinary cream cheese frosting into something spectacular. The result? A perfectly sized 8x8 cake that delivers an almost aggressive amount of real strawberry flavor.
Servings: 9 slices
Calories: 312kcal
Ingredients
For the Reduced Strawberry Puree
- 340 g fresh strawberries hulled & coarsely chopped
- 25 g granulated sugar
For the Strawberry Sheet Cake:
- 113 g unsalted butter softened
- 225 g granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites (≈ 101g)
- 45 g sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 188 g cake flour
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 100 g reduced strawberry puree
- 80 g milk room temperature
- Strawberry cream cheese frosting (one batch)
- Garnish: crushed freeze-dried strawberries optional
Instructions
To Make the Reduced Strawberry Puree:
- Puree 12 ounces of rinsed and hulled strawberries. Pour the puree into a large saucepan and stir in the sugar.
- Simmer the puree over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until you’re left with ⅓ cup (100 g). This takes about 25–30 minutes, but could take longer depending on your pan size or how juicy your strawberries are. Allow to cool completely before using in the cake batter.Pro Tip: Make the reduced puree the day before so it has plenty of time to cool down. You can cover the puree with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Allow it to come back to room temperature before adding to the cake batter.
To Make the Strawberry Sheet Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg whites, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until well combined. Don't worry if the mixture looks slightly curdled at this stage!
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Pour into the wet ingredients and mix until *mostly* combined.
- With the mixer running on low, gradually add the milk until it's just combined. Whisk in the room-temperature reduced strawberry puree, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure there are no lumps. The batter will be thick and pale pink; stir in food coloring for a more vibrant color, if desired. (I use 2 small drops of pink gel food coloring.)
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for 25-27 minutes, until the cake is puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Then remove the cake from the pan and set it on a cooling rack to cool completely while you make the strawberry cream cheese frosting.
- Spread the strawberry cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cooled snack cake. Top with crushed freeze-dried strawberries, if desired.
Notes
Storage: Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cake can be served at room temperature or chilled.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 0.5mg
