Steps for the Super Soft Strawberry Cake with Stunning Strawberry Frosting

• Add 16 oz fresh strawberries (washed and hulled) to a food processor and blend until you get a puree (save some for decorating the cake).

  

• Pour the strawberry puree into a large pot. Cook the strawberry puree over medium heat for about 50 minutes, until it thickens and reduces to about 1/2 cup.

  

• Just so you know, these 1/2 cup of strawberry reduction should be distributed as follows: 1/4 cup for the strawberry cake; 2 tbsp for the cream to pour over the cake; 2 tbsp for the strawberry frosting.

  

• Place the bowl and whisks in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to chill before whipping the cream

  Meanwhile, add 2 tbsp of the strawberry reduction and 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk in another bowl and whisk with a hand whisk to combine well

  Take the cold bowl from the fridge and pour in the cream (also COLD from the fridge) and whip it with an electric mixer (with the whisks COLD from the fridge) at medium speed until stiff peaks form.

  Finally, fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture.

• Preheat the oven to 338°F. Grease a 8.66×8.66 inch baking pan with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper.

  Take a bowl and mix together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, all SIFTED. Then set aside the dry ingredients

  Take another bowl and add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Beat everything for 2 minutes with an electric whisk (you can also use a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment).

  Then add the egg whites and vanilla and mix at medium speed until you get a light and smooth mixture, about 1 minute.

  Add the buttermilk (either store-bought or homemade as explained in the introduction) and the strawberry reduction. Mix at medium speed until you get a homogeneous mixture. 

  Finally, add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix at low speed until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough.

  Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
  

  Bake the cake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
  Let the cake cool completely for 30 minutes, then transfer it to a plate.

• While the cake cools, prepare the Strawberry Frosting:

  Add the soft butter (at least 40 minutes out of the fridge) in a large bowl and mix at high speed with an electric mixer, until you get a light and fluffy mixture, for about 5 minutes.

  Then add the COLD cream cheese from the fridge and mix at high speed until you get a fluffy mixture, about 1 minute.

  Add the SIFTED powdered sugar, little by little, and mix at low then medium-low speed until all ingredients are well combined.

  Finally, add the freeze-dried strawberries (optional) and 2 tbsp of strawberry reduction. Mix at medium-low then high speed until you get a very fluffy mixture.

  

• When the cake is completely cooled, transfer it to a serving plate. Poke holes into the surface of the cake with a toothpick.

  

• At this point, pour the strawberry cream into the holes of the cake.

  

• Frost the surface of the cake with a thick layer of cream cheese and strawberry frosting, using a spatula.

  

• Sprinkle with freeze-dried strawberries (optional) and decorate with fresh strawberries to taste, then serve the cake cut into squares.

  

• It is important that the strawberry frosting layer is abundant and thick, as clearly seen in the photo of the cake slice below.