Last week, I was digging through my grandma’s old recipe boxes and found a crumpled note about a cake colored like a sunset, unassuming but promising. It was a red velvet recipe from the 70s, but the real twist was its pairing—fresh strawberries and cream cheese layered like a secret kept too long.
I realized — these classic ingredients, each familiar, when stacked unexpectedly, flick a switch. We’re in the middle of spring, and strawberries are at their peak — a sign to combine comfort with a little bit of sparkle.
This isn’t just a cake; it’s a layered story of nostalgia, a wink to a time when desserts could be both playful and refined. I love how the scent of butter and cocoa faintly lingers, while the tang of cream cheese balances the sweetness in every bite.
It’s wild to think that something so vibrant can be so simple. Sometimes, I wonder if this is what my grandma really meant—chasing moments in a forkful like this.
Red Velvet Cake with Strawberry and Cream Cheese Layered Delight
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Cake pans
- Cooling rack
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons red food coloring gel or liquid
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 pint fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Combine the sifted flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until evenly blended, creating a dry ingredient mixture.
- Add vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, food coloring, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until the batter is smooth and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature, observing the layers set and color deepen.
- In a mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of the cream cheese frosting over the top. Arrange sliced strawberries on the frosting, then top with the second cake layer.2 cups all-purpose flour
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the assembled cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set. Then, evenly spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.2 cups all-purpose flour
- Decorate the top with additional fresh strawberries if desired. Slice and serve once the frosting is set and the cake has stabilized structurally, around 30 minutes after frosting.2 cups all-purpose flour
Maybe it’s silly, but I find myself craving this combo when life feels a little too serious. It’s like a reminder that the best things come in unexpected packages, especially when they smell like fresh strawberries and nostalgia. Guess I’ll be sneaking a slice before anyone else notices. Typical me.
