Ingredients
Method
Strawberry Reduction
- Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Wash the strawberries and remove the stem and leaves from them. Pat the strawberries dry with a paper towel. If using frozen strawberries, thaw before using.
- Cut the strawberries in half. Add a tablespoon of sugar to a bowl, add in strawberries and toss to coat.
- Spread the strawberries on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.
- Add the berries and juice to a blender and puree.
- Simmer the puree in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced to half, 15 - 20 minutes.
Strawberry Cake
- Preheat oven to 170 ° C. Grease bottom and sides of 3, 6 -inch round cake tins and line bottom with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of stand mixer beat butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy about 7 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add egg whites, then vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Mix together strawberry reduction and buttermilk.
- With mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Divide batter evenly between cake pans. ( I used a measuring scale to ensure each cake pan contained the same amount of batter ).
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Leave to cakes to cool on wire racks for 10 minutes, then invert onto rack gently, discard parchment paper and cool completely.
- Wrap cakes in cling film and chill in the fridge for 1- 3 hours before frosting.
Strawberry Mascarpone Buttercream
- In bowl of stand mixer beat butter until light and creamy , about 5 minutes.
- Slowly add icing sugar one cup at a time and beat well until combined. Add mascarpone cheese and beat for 5 minutes.
- Finally add freeze dried strawberry powder, vanilla extract and salt, then beat until evenly incorporated.