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Sourdough Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

A tender, moist cake bursting with fresh strawberry flavors, made extra special with sourdough discard and a luscious strawberry buttercream. Using real fresh strawberries in both the cake and frosting makes it a juicy, flavorful treat you’ll want to bake again and again!
Print Recipe
a slice of sourdough strawberry cake cut out and removed from the cake
Prep Time:1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time:4 hours

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Reduction

  • 1 ½ pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped into quarters

For the Cake

  • 2 ½ cups (313g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (180ml) neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (125g) sourdough discard, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60ml) milk (dairy or non-dairy), room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) reduced strawberry puree, cooled
  • Natural pink food coloring (optional)

For the Strawberry Buttercream

  • 1 ¼ cups (288g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup (60ml) reduced strawberry puree, cooled

Instructions

Make the Strawberry Reduction

  • Cook the Strawberries: Add 1 ½ lbs hulled and quartered strawberries to a saucepan over medium heat. Lightly mash with a potato masher (or blend beforehand for a smoother purée).
  • Reduce: Simmer, stirring constantly, until reduced to a thick paste—about 30–45 minutes. You should end up with about ¾ – 1 cup of thick, jammy purée.
  • Cool: Let cool completely before using. (Pop it in the fridge to speed it up.)

Make the Cake

  • Prep Pans & Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  • Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Cream Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until pale and slightly thickened. Add the vanilla, then add the oil with the mixer on low speed. Mix until fully combined.
  • Add Sourdough Discard: Reduce speed to low and mix in the discard.
  • Combine Batter: Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk and ½ cup strawberry reduction. Mix until just combined. If desired, stir in a touch of natural or pink food coloring for a rosier color.
  • Bake: Divide batter evenly between pans. Smooth tops and bake for 28–32 minutes, until golden, springy, and a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool: Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Remove from pans, peel off parchment, and cool completely on a wire rack. For easier decorating, freeze cakes for 30–60 minutes before frosting, be sure to wait until your cakes are fully cooled before popping into the freezer.

Make the Strawberry Buttercream

  • Start the Base: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat softened butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until creamy.
  • Add Remaining Sugar: Gradually beat in the rest of the powdered sugar.
  • Mix in Reduction: Add ¼ cup cooled strawberry purée and mix until just smooth. Avoid overbeating. Aim for a soft, silky texture.

Assemble the Cake

  • Level (If Needed): If your cakes domed, gently trim the tops with a serrated knife. Only trim if necessary—uneven layers can still frost beautifully.
  • First Layer & Filling: Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread about ½ – ¾ cup strawberry buttercream evenly on top as your middle filling.
  • Add Second Layer: Gently place the second cake layer on top.
  • Crumb Coat (Optional but Helpful): Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to catch crumbs. Smooth with a bench scraper or offset spatula.
  • Final Frosting: Use remaining buttercream to fully frost the cake. Smooth the top and sides with a bench scraper or spatula.
  • Top (Optional): Garnish with fresh strawberries for a simple, beautiful finish.

Notes

  • Don’t skip the parchment paper! It makes removing the cakes from the pans a breeze and prevents sticking.
  • Make-ahead tip: You can make the strawberry reduction the night before to make the cake prep easier.
  • Use fresh discard: A sourdough starter that’s 1–2 days old (and hasn’t gone overly sour) works best in this cake. Super tangy starter can affect the flavor.
  • Natural coloring: The batter may appear slightly grey without added color. Feel free to use a natural or pink food dye to enhance that strawberry hue, or leave it as is. It still tastes amazing!
Servings: 14 people