Name: Strawberry cake
Yield: 1 two-layer cake, about 12 slices
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 455 g Strawberries Hulled; 295 g Cake flour Not self-raising; 10 mL Baking powder; 2.5 mL Baking soda; 5 mL Fine salt; 170 g Unsalted butter Soft; 350 g Caster sugar; 5 Large egg whites; 80 g Sour cream; 10 mL Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring; 120 mL Whole milk

Method

01 · Reduce fruit
25–35 min or longer
Use: Fruit
Purée strawberries; simmer until reduced to 135 g. Cool completely.
Ready when: Thick, concentrated purée.
01 Reduce fruitReduce the strawberry purée to 135 g, then cool it completely.
02 · Prepare
5 min
Use: Equipment
Heat the oven. Grease and line two 23 cm round tins.
Ready when: Pan ready before mixing.
02 PrepareGrease and line two 23 cm round tins before mixing.
03 · Mix dry
1 min
Use: Dry
Whisk the dry ingredients.
Ready when: Even colour.
03 Mix dryWhisk the flour, baking powder, soda and salt evenly.
04 · Cream
5 min
Use: Cream, Wet
Beat butter and sugar fluffy; beat in egg whites, sour cream and vanilla.
Ready when: Light mixture.
04 CreamBeat the butter and sugar, then add the whites, sour cream and vanilla.
05 · Combine
2 min
Use: Reduce fruit, Mix dry, Cream, Milk
Mix dry ingredients and milk into creamed mixture briefly, then fold in reduced fruit.
Ready when: Even pink batter.
05 CombineMix in the dry ingredients and milk briefly, then fold in the reduced fruit.
06 · Bake
24–25 min
Use: Combine
Transfer to the prepared pan and bake.
Ready when: Centre springs back; skewer has crumbs, not wet batter.
06 BakeDivide the batter between the prepared tins and bake until set.
07 · Cool
Until completely cool
Use: Bake
Cool in tins for 1 hour, then unmould.
Ready when: Stable layers.
07 CoolCool in the tins for an hour, then unmould the layers.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Combine	Even pink batter.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Bake	Centre springs back; skewer has crumbs, not wet batter.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Cool	Stable layers.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Sunken centre	The batter was underbaked or lost too much air.	If still in the oven, continue until the centre is set.	Use the stated pan and avoid opening the oven early.
Dry crumb	Excess flour or baking time.	Serve with an appropriate cream or filling.	Weigh flour and check doneness at the low end of the range.

Finish with library cream-cheese icing.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
Strawberries	Hulled	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Cake flour	Not self-raising	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Unsalted butter	Soft	No required brand	Match the ingredient type

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
Cake flour	Plain flour plus cornstarch255 g flour + 40 g cornstarch	Sift thoroughly.	Slightly firmer crumb.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
Two 23 cm round cake tins	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Spatula	Use a flexible food-safe scraper or a flat spoon suited to the task; choose heat-resistant tools for hot pans.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
Two 23 cm round cake tins	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Spatula	Use a flexible food-safe scraper or a flat spoon suited to the task; choose heat-resistant tools for hot pans.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Strawberry cake

Strawberry cake

Strawberry cake

Method

01 · Reduce fruit

02 · Prepare

03 · Mix dry

04 · Cream

05 · Combine

06 · Bake

07 · Cool

What to look for

Troubleshooting

Strawberry cake

How do I make it?

Reduce fruit

Prepare

Mix dry

Cream

Combine

Bake

Cool

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

Strawberry cake at a glance

Formula component	Grams	Flour = 100%
Strawberries	455 g	154.2%
Cake flour	295 g	100%
Unsalted butter	170 g	57.6%
Caster sugar	350 g	118.6%
Sour cream	80 g	27.1%

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Fruit	Strawberries	455 g	Hulled
Dry	Cake flour	295 g	Not self-raising
Dry	Baking powder	10 mL
Dry	Baking soda	2.5 mL
Dry	Fine salt	5 mL
Cream	Unsalted butter	170 g	Soft
Cream	Caster sugar	350 g
Wet	Large egg whites	5
Wet	Sour cream	80 g
Wet	Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring	10 mL
Milk	Whole milk	120 mL

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Fruit	Strawberries	455 g	Hulled
Dry	Cake flour	295 g	Not self-raising
Dry	Baking powder	10 mL
Dry	Baking soda	2.5 mL
Dry	Fine salt	5 mL
Cream	Unsalted butter	170 g	Soft
Cream	Caster sugar	350 g
Wet	Large egg whites	5
Wet	Sour cream	80 g
Wet	Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring	10 mL
Milk	Whole milk	120 mL