All your sweet strawberry dreams come true with this moist cake and almond-kissed cream cheese frosting.
Fresh Strawberry Cake
Makes 1 (13×9-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups cake flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups whole milk, room temperature
- 6 egg whites, room temperature
- 4½ cups chopped fresh strawberries, divided
- ½ cup strawberry preserves
- Almond-Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Almond-Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1½ teaspoons almond extract
- 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with baking spray with flour; line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Scrape sides of bowl.
- In another large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
- In a large bowl, using clean beaters, beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Fold remaining egg whites into batter in two additions. Add 2½ cups strawberries, folding just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing into an even layer.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt preserves in microwave; stir in remaining 2 cups strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Using excess parchment as handles, remove cake from pan. Spread Almond-Cream Cheese Frosting onto cooled cake. Serve with strawberry topping.
Almond-Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and almond extract with a mixer at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed. Use immediately.
