Description
This Small-batch Vegan Strawberry Cake is a delightful, moist, and fluffy dessert bursting with fresh strawberry flavor. Made with simple ingredients including fresh strawberry puree, all-purpose flour, and dairy-free milk, it’s perfect for a small gathering or intimate celebration. The cake is beautifully layered with vegan strawberry frosting and can be optionally filled with a homemade quick strawberry jam, then garnished with fresh berries for a gorgeous finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Puree
- ~2 cups (240g) fresh or frozen strawberries, room temperature and measured without stems
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose plain flour, spoon and leveled
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup (65g) neutral flavored oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons (30g) dairy-free milk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ scant teaspoon pink gel food coloring, or around ½ scant teaspoon liquid food coloring
To Decorate
- 1 batch Vegan Strawberry Frosting
- ⅓ cup (110g) strawberry or raspberry preserves, thick not runny (optional)
- fresh strawberries, or other fresh berries
Instructions
- Prepare the fresh strawberry puree: Add the strawberries to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth with no chunks remaining. Set aside the puree for later use in the cake batter.
- Make the strawberry cake batter: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease or line two 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well to distribute evenly. Add the prepared strawberry puree and all wet ingredients—oil, dairy-free milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring—then stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing; some lumps in the batter are fine as long as there are no pockets of flour.
- Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 23 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble the cake: Once the cakes are fully cooled, slice off the domed tops to create flat layers. Place one cake layer on the serving plate. Spread or pipe about ¾ cup of vegan strawberry frosting over the top. If using preserves, pipe a frosting dam around the edges then spoon the preserves into the center. Place the second cake layer on top.
- Decorate: Cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting, smoothing or piping as desired. Garnish with fresh strawberries or your choice of fresh berries for a beautiful finish.
- Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve. Refrigerate any leftovers for 2-3 days. Before serving, allow refrigerated cake to come to room temperature for 1-2 hours to restore optimal texture and flavor.
Notes
- Measure flour properly using the spoon and level method to avoid dense and dry cake. Fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. Avoid scooping flour directly with the measuring cup.
- For best accuracy and results, use gram measurements and a kitchen scale.
- Alternative frosting options include vegan strawberry cream cheese frosting or lemon buttercream; some frosting may be leftover depending on decoration.
- To make quick homemade jam: combine ¾ cup (95g) fresh or frozen strawberries or raspberries, 1 ½ tablespoons (25g) sugar, 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch, and a dash of water in a small saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes while mashing the berries. Adjust water for desired jam consistency. Cool completely before using in the cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/6 of cake)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
