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overhead view of strawberry rose cake on a board
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Strawberry Rose Cake

Light strawberry cake swirled with a strawberry rose reduction.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients

Strawberry Rose Compote

  • 460 g or 1lb strawberries fresh or frozen
  • 50g or ¼ cup sugar
  • Zest of lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch/flour
  • 2 teaspoons rose water

Strawberry Rose Cake

  • 200g or 1 cup fine granulated sugar
  • 85g or 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 30g or 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp rose water
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 190g or 1 ½ cups cake flour
  • 120g or ½ cup strawberry kefir, plain kefir or thinned out strawberry yogurt
  • about a heaped ½ cup Strawberry Rose Reduction from above

Cream Cheese Buttercream

  • 113g or ½ cup softened butter unsalted
  • 113g or ½ brick cream cheese softened
  • 250g or 2 cups organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

Make the compote

  • In a pot, toss together the strawberries (stems removed, no need to slice them), sugar, lemon zest and juice and tapioca starch. Turn heat to medium low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally as the strawberries soften. Smaller berries will burst, that’s ok.
  • When the sauce thickens and all the berries are either dissolved or very soft, remove from heat and add the rose water. Set aside to cool then puree. It should be completely cool before using in the cake.

Make the cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a greased square metal pan, 8”x8 or 9”x9 with parchment paper (or use a brownie pan).
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, oil, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. While the mixer is running, add the vanilla and rose water. Let it beat for a full five minutes, until nice and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until well combined. Add the flour and baking powder and while the mixer is on low, drizzle in the kefir. Beat until batter is just smooth.
  • Dollop some of the cake batter into the bottom of the pan then spoon some of the strawberry reduction in and use an offset spatula (or butterknife) to swirl it in.
  • Dollop more cake batter and repeat. The idea is to layer and swirl the reduction into the cake batter. Make sure you have some sauce for the very top of the cake.
  • Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when poked (or a cake tester comes out clean). Let cool completely before frosting.

Make the buttercream

  • Press the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl with a rubber spatula until smooth - the idea is to remove any lumps. Add the vanilla and salt and beat with a stand or hand mixer to combine. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Buttercream can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before spreading on the cake. If it’s lumpy, add a bit of milk (or strawberry kefir) and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.
  • Spread the buttercream over the cake and dollop some more strawberry sauce on top. Swirl it in for a pretty effect. Top with fresh strawberries and dried rose petals.
  • Cake will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

  1. This makes enough for a ‘snack cake’ so, a 8x8 or 9x9” cake pan. Could also work in a 9” round. If you want to make a sheet cake use a 9x13” cake pan and double the recipe. If you want to make this as a layer cake, double the recipe and bake it either in three six” round pans (3” tall pans) or two 8 or 9” round cake tins. 
  2. You’ll likely have more Strawberry Rose sauce than you need so feel free to halve it if you can’t think of another use (or don’t want it on ice cream, toast or.. Anything you want to make yummier).