Ricky's 28th Birthday Cake

Strawberry Chocolate Cake

Ricky's spring birthday always coincides with Florida Strawberry season. This year his birthday was celebrated with a strawberry cake. Ricky has always been a strawberry fan! You will note a third layer of chocolate cake was added to the strawberry layers to make it a strawberry chocolate cake. 

(Oh yea, those are whoppers and chocolate covered strawberries that were used for the decorations!)

Recipe for the Strawberry Layers

• Fresh or Frozen Strawberries
• 1/4 Milk - room temperature
• 6 egg whites (I used carton whites) - room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour - sifted
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter - room temperature

Step 1 - In a blender or food processor puree enough strawberries to yield 3/4 cup (a teaspoon of sugar may be added to the puree).

Step 2 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 - 8" to  9" round pans (or 24 cupcake tins) with parchment paper cut into 8" or 9" circles and Pam cooking spray or cup cake papers.

Step 3 - Combine the strawberry puree, milk, egg whites, and vanilla. Blend mixture with a fork.

Step 4 - Use electric mixer on a low setting to combine sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter to the mixture one tablespoon at a time. Add the puree/milk mixture beating only a minute or two. At this time you may add red food coloring although picture above is without added coloring.

Step 5 - Divide batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top of the batter.

Step 6 - Bake cakes until toothpick when inserted comes out clean, approximately 25 minute.

Step 7 - Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes then turn out on to a rack. Allow cake to completely cool prior to icing or decorating.

FYI - the chocolate layer was a cake mix!