Photo credit: www.bonappetit.com
Folding a fitted sheet, mastering the meaning of “the,” and baking a strawberry cake – these seemingly simple tasks are often more challenging than they initially appear.
Baking a strawberry cake that genuinely captures the flavor of strawberries can be a bit of a culinary challenge. If you simply add strawberry purée to your batter, you’re likely to end up with a cake that’s dense and lacks a strong strawberry taste. On the other hand, using strawberry extract can result in an artificial flavor that resembles a toy more than a sweet, fresh cake.
Fortunately, after extensive testing of my Neapolitan Cake recipe—which includes layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry—I learned that achieving a delicious strawberry flavor is easier than I had initially thought.
The game-changer? Freeze-dried strawberries. These crunchy, light slices available in grocery stores are surprisingly effective for creating a fluffy cake that retains a genuine strawberry taste post-baking. Here’s a simple method to achieve it:
Blend a single 0.8- to 1-ounce package of freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder using a blender, food processor, or spice grinder, and mix this flavorful dust into your cake batter. This quantity is ideal for infusing your batter for an 8- to 9-inch cake layer with a vibrant fruit flavor, without needing to alter any other ingredients or adjust bake times.
However, it is crucial to note that freeze-dried strawberries are acidic. They can interact with chemical leaveners like baking powder or soda, so it’s essential to use just one packet for an optimal result. Using more could lead to an unstable cake structure that collapses while baking.
Concerning the cake’s end color: expect a charming pink batter, though the cooked version may turn out a dull shade of orange. If a vibrant pink is desired, just a few drops of red food coloring can help achieve that bright tint, although it’s entirely optional for those who prefer a simpler appearance. Ultimately, the choice is yours.
For an impressive dessert, use this technique in my Neapolitan cake recipe. Alternatively, for smaller gatherings, consider adding freeze-dried strawberries to an easy vanilla cake, then topping it generously with fresh strawberries.
Echoing the style of Wayne Thiebaud’s renowned Cake Slice, these three visually distinct cake layers are built from a single simple batter.
Source
www.bonappetit.com