Galentines Cake Strawberry Buttercream (Printer View)

Festive vanilla layers frosted with smooth strawberry buttercream in an eye-catching pink gradient.

# Components:

→ Vanilla Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Strawberry Buttercream

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
12 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Pink gel food coloring, optional

→ Assembly and Decoration

16 - Fresh strawberries, optional for garnish
17 - Edible glitter or sprinkles, optional

# Method steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans and smooth the tops.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely to room temperature.
09 - Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and ground freeze-dried strawberries. Mix in heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
10 - Divide buttercream into three bowls. Leave one plain white. Tint the second bowl light pink and the third bowl deeper pink using gel food coloring.
11 - Place the darkest pink buttercream in a piping bag. Repeat with the medium and light pink buttercreams in separate bags.
12 - Level cake layers if necessary. Place the first layer on a serving plate and spread with light pink buttercream. Stack remaining layers, using medium and dark buttercream progressively.
13 - Spread the darkest pink buttercream around the bottom third of the cake, medium pink in the middle third, and lightest pink on the top. Smooth with an offset spatula or cake scraper to blend colors slightly.
14 - Decorate with fresh strawberries and edible glitter or sprinkles if desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean layers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The strawberry buttercream tastes genuinely fruity and not overly sweet, thanks to freeze-dried berries instead of extract alone.
  • That ombré effect photographs beautifully and impresses everyone, even though creating it is simpler than it looks.
  • You can bake the layers days ahead and freeze them, so the actual assembly day is low-stress.
02 -
  • Letting your eggs, milk, and butter come to room temperature is non-negotiable; cold ingredients won't incorporate smoothly and you'll end up with a dense, grainy cake.
  • Sifting your powdered sugar before adding it to the buttercream prevents lumps that will never fully dissolve, no matter how long you mix.
  • Don't skip the 30-minute chill after assembly; warm buttercream smears when you cut, but cold buttercream stays clean and structured.
03 -
  • If you want to add even more strawberry flavor, spread a thin layer of strawberry jam between the cake layers before the buttercream; it's subtle but unmistakable.
  • Chill your offset spatula under running cold water before blending the ombré colors, and the cold metal helps you create softer transitions without muddying the colors together.
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