Galentines Cake Strawberry Buttercream (Print version)

Vanilla layers with luscious pink strawberry buttercream create a festive cake for joyful occasions.

# Required ingredients:

→ Vanilla Cake

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.5 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 - 0.5 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, as needed

→ Assembly and Decoration

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

# How to make it:

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.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and blend until 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 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.
09 - Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and ground freeze-dried strawberries. Mix in cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy and smooth.
10 - Divide buttercream into three bowls. Leave one plain. Tint the second bowl light pink and the third darker pink using gel food coloring. Transfer each shade into separate piping bags.
11 - Level cake layers if necessary. Place first cake layer on a serving plate and spread with lightest buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers, using medium and dark buttercream progressively.
12 - Spread darkest pink buttercream around the bottom third of the cake, medium pink in the middle, and lightest pink on top. Smooth with an offset spatula to blend colors seamlessly.
13 - Decorate with fresh strawberries and edible glitter or sprinkles if desired. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing for clean layers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vanilla cake is buttery and tender without being fussy, so even if you've had baking mishaps before, this one forgives you.
  • That ombre effect looks like you spent hours perfecting it, but the trick is actually simple enough that you'll feel like a pastry chef.
  • Three layers means you get to choose your own frosting adventure—go wild with the pink or keep it subtle, it's your cake.
02 -
  • If your buttercream looks grainy or separated after you add the strawberries, it usually means the butter temperature was off—warm it with a hair dryer for 10 seconds or add a tablespoon of heavy cream and beat again.
  • The freeze-dried strawberries must be finely ground, not just crumbled, otherwise you get little crunchy bits that won't blend smoothly into the frosting.
  • Don't skip the cooling step—I once tried to frost a warm cake and the buttercream literally slid off the sides like it had no grip.
03 -
  • If you want extra strawberry flavor, spread a thin layer of strawberry jam between the cake layers before the buttercream—it adds moisture and tanginess that elevates the whole cake.
  • A bench scraper or offset spatula kept in the refrigerator between uses helps you achieve cleaner color blending because the cold surface doesn't drag the frosting around as much.
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