Sweet Strawberry Crisp Cake

The cake that I’ll remember as the first I (somewhat successfully) decorated with the cutest old school piping. And did it in my favorite hue of vibrant pink. Fun ribbons around the sides, a shell boarder around the top, and cute little double stacked rosettes in the center. All perfectly matched to the Sweet Strawberry Crisp Cake inside - continuing that cute pink hue even when you cut inside. A cake that came to be as a result of having some fresh strawberries on hand that I didn’t want to go bad, and decorating this brought a lot of joy + tranquility on a quiet weekend at home.

 
 

Strawberry purèe

  • 2 c. chopped strawberries

  • juice from lemon + 1 tbsp zest

  • 2 tbsp brown sugar

  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

  • pinch of salt

For the cake

  • 2 3/4 c. flour

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 3/4 c. butter, room temperature

  • 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs + 2 egg whites, room temperature

  • 1/2 c. sour cream

  • 1 tbsp vanilla

  • 1 c. almondmilk, room temperature

  • 3/4 c. strawberry purèe, brought to room temperature

For the strawberry filling

  • 1-1 lb container of fresh strawberries, quartered

  • 1 c. water

  • 3/4 c. sugar

  • 2 tbsp corn starch

Oat crisp

  • 5 tbsp butter, softened

  • 1/2 c. oats

  • 1/2 c. flour

  • 1/4 c. brown sugar

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

  • pinch of salt

For the frosting (basic recipe is 1 brick of cream cheese + 1 stick of butter + 4 c. powdered sugar)

  • 2-8 ounce bricks of cream cheese, room temperature

  • 1 c. butter, room temperature

  • 8 c. powdered sugar

  • pinch of salt

Start with the strawberry purèe. Add all ingredients to a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Stir regularly - letting the strawberries simmer for 10-15 minutes. The mixture should reduce by about a third and thicken up. Turn off the heat and save in the fridge until cake time.

Now make the cake. Preheat the oven to 325. Prep 3 cake trays with flour + line with parchment. With the mixer on medium, cream the butter + sugar. Add in the eggs and continue to mix until fully mixed in, and then add in the sour cream. Reduce the heat to low, add in the baking powder, soda, pinch of salt, and half of the flour. Also pour in half of the milk. Once fully mixed in add in the rest of the flour + milk, mixing on low for 1-2 minutes, and then whip on medium for a minute. Add in the strawberry purèe and mix on medium for another minute.

Make the strawberry filling by placing all ingredients in a saucepan and turning the heat to medium. Stir to mix in the sugar + bring the mixture to a low boil. Stir regularly, letting the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook another 10 minutes before removing the strawberries from the heat. Let them cool at room temperature for 1 hour before placing in an airtight container, and storing in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.

Make the oat crisp. Mix all of the ingredients for the oat crisp until the dry ingredients are well incorporated with the butter. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Remove the pan and mix the crisp topping. Mix together, and continue to bake for another 7-8 minutes. Let the mixture cool completely and store in an air tight container until ready to assemble the cake.

Make the frosting. Place the cream cheese + butter in a stand mixer, and mix with the paddle attachment for a minute at medium speed. Add in the powdered sugar 2-3 cups at a time, beating on medium until fully mixed in, and repeating this process until all the powdered sugar has been incorporated. Increase the speed to high and whop on high for 60-90 seconds. The frosting should be light, smooth, and spreadable.

Option to reserve a 1/2 c of the frosting and add in just a tbsp or 2 of the strawberry purèe, and use this to sandwich in between the layers in place of just straight frosting.

Follow these steps to assemble:

  1. On the base layer, spread a thin layer of frosting over the top, leaving a small unfrosted border arounf the edge. Pipe a cream-cheese buttercream boarder around the perimeter. Pile on a generous amount of the strawberry filling (ideally half), and drizzle some of the oat crisp on top.

  2. Place a second layer on top, and repeat the process in step one. Place the final layer on top.

  3. Proceed to dirty ice the cake and place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Proceed to finish icing and decorating the cake.

Finish by decorating the cake with ribbons along the side, a shell border around the top, and double stacked rossettes in the middle.

Lesley ZehnerComment