If strawberries are your weakness, the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth is by treating yourself to a strawberry cake. While there are several box mixes available at local stores that you can turn to in a pinch, you can make the perfect cake by following a few easy steps.
Choose a Delicious White Cake Recipe or Mix
The strawberry mixes in stores already have the strawberry flavor incorporated in them, and this can create a rather generic taste. If you want to enjoy the flavor of natural strawberries in your cake, a better idea is to start with white cake. You can use your favorite white cake recipe as a base, or you can take a shortcut by using a white cake mix from the grocery store.
Add Strawberry Gelatin
To give your white cake the bold strawberry flavor that you crave, simply add a small box of strawberry gelatin to the prepared batter. You generally do not need to make any recipe adjustments in order to accommodate this addition. While this will add the perfect touch of strawberry flavor that far surpasses what you can get out of a flavored box cake, this is only one flavoring step that you need to elevate your cake to a new level.
Incorporate Fresh Fruit in the Cake and Frosting
A strawberry cake would not be complete without incorporating fresh fruit into the batter and frosting. For the best results, use fresh fruit that is in season. If you crave this desert when the fruit is not in season, you can use frozen strawberries. These should not have syrup. Cut the strawberries into very small pieces. One cup of cut strawberries should be sufficient for the cake. A half-cup may be sufficient for the frosting. An alternative is to use strawberry jam rather than fresh strawberries in the frosting.
Add an Enticing Garnish
Your cake will not be complete without the perfect finishing touches on top. You can decorate with whipped topping, fresh strawberries or even a well-placed dollop of pureed strawberries. There are numerous design ideas that you can follow, and you can get ideas from a cookbook or online. Your toppings or decorations add flavor and also may make your cake difficult to resist.
There are many variations to the perfect strawberry cake, such as using cream cheese or sour cream in the frosting for a touch of twang or adding a jam-like puree between layers. With so many possibilities, you can use these ideas to get started, and you can play with the recipe until you perfect your cake to suit your preferences.
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