Recipe Index

Ingredients

• nonstick vegetable oil spray, for the pans
• 1 x 0.8-1 oz package freeze-dried strawberries
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• red or pink food colouring (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds, coat three 8 inch cake pans with spray, line the bases with parchment rounds, coat the parchment with spray, and pulse the freeze-dried strawberries to a fine powder.
2. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl, add the eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
3. Divide the batter equally between 3 bowls, whisk the strawberry powder and food colouring if desired into one bowl and the cocoa powder into another.
4. Scrape each batter into a separate pan and bake for 25-35 minutes until a tester inserted in the centres comes out clean, cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, turn out onto racks, peel away the parchment, cool completely, and trim the tops flat if needed.
5. Beat the powdered sugar, butter, cream, sour cream, salt and vanilla in a stand mixer with the paddle, starting low and increasing to high, for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
6. Put the strawberry layer on a cake stand, spread with 1/3-1/2 cup frosting, add the vanilla layer upside down, spread with 1/3-1/2 cup frosting, add the chocolate layer upside down, frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting, and serve.

Total: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooling)

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data