Strawberry Crunch Cake
A delightful dessert combining sweet strawberries with a crisp, crunchy texture, perfect for any celebration or as a daily treat.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix (Duncan Hines)
- 5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
- 7 ounces granulated sugar (about 1 cup)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 9 ounces sour cream (at room temperature, about 1 cup)
- 4 ounces unsalted melted butter (about 1/2 cup)
- 8 ounces milk (at room temperature, about 1 cup)
- 4 large egg whites (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces strawberry reduction (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 drop red food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon strawberry emulsion (optional)
Strawberry Filling
- 36 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed, about 5 cups)
- 4 ounces granulated sugar (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Crunch Topping
- 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 cup)
- 8 ounces shortbread cookies (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon strawberry emulsion (optional)
- 1/4 cup unsalted melted butter
Instructions
Prepare Strawberry Reduction
- Cook strawberries and sugar in a saucepan until soft, then blend until smooth and reduce until thick. Let cool.
Cake Preparation
- Preheat oven to 335°F (170°C). Prepare 3 six-inch round cake pans with cake goop or parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer, combine cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, sour cream, melted butter, milk, egg whites, and vanilla. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Divide batter into 2 pans. Add strawberry reduction and optional emulsion to the remaining batter; mix and pour into the third pan.
Baking
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes before removing from pans.
Strawberry Crunch
- Pulse shortbread cookies and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor. Mix with melted butter until distributed.
Assembly
- Layer cakes with buttercream and strawberry reduction; coat outside with buttercream and then with strawberry crunch.
- Decorate with buttercream dollops and fresh strawberries on top.
Notes
Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for better mixing. You can adjust the sweetness of the strawberry reduction to your taste. Consider using fresh herbs like mint as a garnish. Keep an eye on the cake after the 30-minute mark to prevent overbaking.