The Ultimate Strawberry Layer Cake With Claire Saffitz | Dessert Person

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: whipped topping

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

unsalted butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil is a dairy-free alternative

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: ricotta cheese

💰Cheaper: mascarpone

Ricotta cheese is lower in fat and less expensive than cream cheese

Hydrate the cornmeal by mixing it with buttermilk and set aside.

Grease a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Combine 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 0.5 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a bowl and whisk together.

In a separate bowl, combine 0.75 cups sugar and zest from a lemon, massaging the zest into the sugar with fingertips.

Cream 10 tablespoons unsalted butter with the sugar mixture until light and fluffy.

Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add the wet ingredients (buttermilk and cornmeal mixture) and dry ingredients alternately, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Smooth the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing.

Trim some strawberries to the same height to create 'stilts' for the cake layers.

Macerate remaining strawberries with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and let sit to create syrup.

Slice the cooled cake in half horizontally to create two layers.

Place the bottom layer on a serving plate and top with macerated strawberries and whipped cream.

Add the top layer of the cake and frost the top and sides with whipped cream.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens