Strawberry Snack Cake Recipe
I call this a strawberry snack cake because it's just so good to snack on. The simplicity of this small, single layer sheet cake makes it perfect for whipping up when you feel like a little sweet snack. Using freeze-dried fruit in cakes is the best hack for upping the flavor - this cake is undeniably bursting with fresh strawberry flavor. You can buy them online or in well-stocked grocery stores. In my little town, the dollar store sells them.
Ingredients
- ½ cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries, see notes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon neutral flavored oil
- ½ cup milk
Strawberry Frosting
- ⅓ cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons crushed freeze-dried strawberries
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk, depending how think you want it
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x8 cake pan with parchment paper and spray it lightly with cooking oil (or lightly grease it with butter). Place the freeze-dried strawberries into your food processor and blend until mostly smooth - see notes.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, ½ cup of the crushed freeze-dried strawberries, baking powder, and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl and cream using electric beaters on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.¾ cup granulated sugar , ½ cup butter
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and oil and beat for 1 minute.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon neutral flavored oil
- Add the dry ingredients and mix them into the batter at low speed until mostly combined. Pour in the milk and mix just until the batter comes together.½ cup milk
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, make the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until it's light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, strawberries, and milk and beat on low speed just until the sugar is mixed in. Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes more. If you'd like it thinner, you can add a little more milk.⅓ cup salted butter, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons crushed freeze-dried strawberries, 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
- When the cake is finished baking, let it cool for 10 minutes in the cake pan, and then remove it and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once it's cool, you can frost it and serve or place it back into the cake pan for easy storage.
Notes
Freeze-dried strawberries: You need about 1 ½ cups (100 grams/3 ½ ounces) to make the crushed strawberries for the cake and frosting. If you'd like a very smooth frosting (like in the pictures), sift the crushed strawberries, use the powder for the frosting, and use the mix of powder and smaller chunks for the cake. It's a bit fussy and doesn't change the flavor, but I think it looks better.
Oil: I usually use avocado oil, but canola or grapeseed oil works too. Choose an oil with little flavor. While it's only a small amount, it helps the cake stay moist for several days.
How to remove cake from pan: If you let a little parchment paper hang over the edges, you can use that to lift the cake out of the pan. Just make sure to let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes so the cake has a chance to firm up a little before you move it.
Serving: 1 big slice, Calories: 444kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 87mg, Sodium: 217mg, Potassium: 304mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 49g, Vitamin A: 614IU, Vitamin C: 221mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 5mg