Our Fresh Strawberry Cream Cake is a quick and delightful dessert that uses cake mix for convenience, making it perfect for any occasion.
With almond-flavored cake layers, sweet strawberry jam, and rich buttercream frosting, this cake offers a perfect blend of flavors.
Dried strawberries and toasted almonds add a delightful texture and a beautiful finish to this impressive cake.
Whether you’re hosting a party or enjoying a family treat, this easy-to-make cake will surely be a hit.
Servings: 16
Equipment
- Oven
- 2 9" round cake pans
- Baking spray with flour
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Pastry bag with plain tip
- 8" springform pan
- Nonstick skillet
- spatula
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1 package white cake mix 15.25 oz
- 3 egg whites
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 tsp. Almond extract
- 2 ¼ cups butter room temperature
- 4 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
- ¼ cup seedless strawberry jam stirred
- 6 cups strawberries trimmed (2 16 oz. containers)
- ¼ cup finely-chopped sliced almonds
- ½ cup freeze-dried sliced & chopped strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two nine-inch round cake pans with baking spray that includes flour.
- Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions using egg whites, oil, and 1 cup of water. Stir in the almond extract until well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the cakes from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat the butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar on low speed, then beat in the vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer ½ cup of the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip.
- Place one cake layer in an 8-inch springform pan. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the cake layer.
- Spread the center with jam. Reserve 1 cup of the strawberries. Arrange the remaining strawberries, flat sides down and touching each other, over the jam.
- Spread 2 cups of frosting over the strawberries. Place the second cake layer on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Toast the almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Allow them to cool.
- Remove the side of the springform pan and place the cake on a serving plate. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
- Reserve 1 teaspoon of the dried strawberries. Combine the toasted almonds with the remaining dried strawberries and press this mixture around the bottom edge of the cake.
- Arrange the reserved fresh strawberries on top of the cake (slice if desired). Sprinkle the reserved dried strawberries over the top.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tips & Tricks
- Even Layers: To ensure your cake layers bake evenly, use a kitchen scale to divide the batter equally between the two pans.
- Cool Completely: Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Piping Tips: If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a plastic zip-top bag with a small corner snipped off.
- Jam Layer: For an extra burst of flavor, you can mix a bit of lemon zest into the strawberry jam before spreading it on the cake.
- Toasting Almonds: Watch the almonds closely while toasting, as they can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly.
- Decorative Touch: Arrange the fresh strawberries in a decorative pattern on top of the cake for an eye-catching finish.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cake will stay fresh for up to 3 days.