Galentines Strawberry Buttercream Cake (Printable version)

A visually striking vanilla layer cake with smooth strawberry buttercream frosting in pink ombre shades.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vanilla Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Strawberry Buttercream

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
12 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Pink gel food coloring (optional, for ombre effect)

→ Assembly and Decoration

16 - Fresh strawberries (optional, for garnish)
17 - Edible glitter or sprinkles (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and blend until combined.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Do not overbake.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely to room temperature.
09 - Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and ground freeze-dried strawberries. Mix in cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
10 - Divide buttercream into three bowls. Leave one plain white. Tint the second bowl a light pink, and the third a deeper pink using gel food coloring.
11 - Place the darkest pink buttercream in a piping bag. Repeat with the medium and light pink buttercreams in separate piping bags.
12 - Level cake layers if necessary. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with a layer of lightest buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers, using medium and dark buttercream as you stack.
13 - Spread the darkest pink buttercream around the bottom third of the cake, medium pink in the middle, and lightest pink on top. Smooth with an offset spatula or cake scraper to blend the colors gently.
14 - Top with fresh strawberries and edible glitter or sprinkles if desired. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean layers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent eight hours in a professional kitchen, but three layers and some strategic frosting choices do most of the heavy lifting.
  • The freeze-dried strawberries give you real strawberry flavor without the moisture issues fresh ones would cause, plus they grind into the most beautiful powder.
  • It's actually forgiving to make once you understand that leveling your cake layers and chilling before serving are the real tricks.
02 -
  • Cake layers shrink slightly as they cool, so if your layers look different sizes, don't panic; leveling them with a serrated knife creates an even surface for frosting.
  • Freeze-dried strawberries vary in how fine they grind, so pulse them in a food processor or blender rather than crushing by hand to avoid chunks.
  • Chilling the cake before slicing is not optional if you want those beautiful distinct layers; warm frosting tears and pulls apart.
03 -
  • Buy powdered sugar in bulk and sift it the night before; your arms will thank you, and lumpy frosting ruins the whole vibe.
  • If you're not confident with piping bags, skip them entirely and use an offset spatula for a rustic, beautiful result that's actually easier.
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