Easy cake made with a cake mix, fresh crushed strawberries and dehydrated strawberries in cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
1box white cake mix
1(3 ounce)box strawberry instant Jello
8-9ouncesfresh strawberries or 1 1/2 cups blended or crushed , (weight after trimming off tops)
4large eggs, room temperature
1/2cupcanola or vegetable oil
1/4cupcold water
1teaspoonvanilla
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2cupunsalted butter softened
4ouncescream cheese, softened
2ouncesfreeze-dried strawberries, crushed in food processor
5-6cupspowdered sugar
dash of salt
1teaspoonlemon juice
1-2tablespoonsmilk or cream to thin the frosting if needed
additional fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
Strawberry Cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven. Line 2 (9-inch) or 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper, grease.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and dry Jello. Add pureed fresh strawberries, eggs, oil, water and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 28-30 minutes for 9 inch pans, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool.
Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
Beat in crushed freeze-dried strawberries. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time on low speed. Add a dash of salt and fresh lemon juice. Continue to beat.
Thin frosting with milk or cream. Beat for 4-5 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
Place cake on plate or cake stand. Spread about 1 cup of frosting on bottom layer. Place second layer on top. Frost sides and top of cake with thin layer of frosting. Place in freezer for 20 minutes or until frosting is set.
Remove from freezer, spread remaining frosting on sides and top. Garnish with fresh strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve, refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
This recipe can be made into a bundt cake, a 9x13, 2 (9-inch) or 3 (8-inch) round pans. For bundt cake, bake at 350 for approximately 50-60 minutes, 9x13 at 350 about 40 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
This frosting can also be made with all butter instead of cream cheese.