I have absolutely fallen in LOVE with small batch cake recipes and when I asked on Instagram which of my recipes I should scale down next, there were lots of requests for my strawberry cake. If you’ve made the original version before, you know how delicious it is. And with the berry season in full swing, I couldn’t resist baking with my latest haul of extra-flavorful fresh strawberries. This cake could not be cuter in mini form!
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This small batch strawberry cake recipe yields enough batter for a triple layer 4-inch cake or a single layer 6-inch cake. That makes it the ideal size to serve 2-4 people. It’s perfect for date night, sharing with a friend, using as a smash cake, making for a small gathering, or simply satisfying a cake craving.
PS: If you want to make the 4-inch layer cake version and need a recommendation for cake pans, these are the 4-inch cake pans I use. It’s a good investment, because once you make a tiny layer cake, you’re going to want to make so many more!
Superb Strawberry Flavor
This mini strawberry cake is so moist, perfectly sweet, and packed with beautiful strawberry flavor throughout. To create the strawberry flavor in the cake batter, I use fresh strawberries that are first pureed, then reduced (aka cooked on the stove) to evaporate as much of the liquid as possible. Fresh strawberries contain a lot of water, so the reduction process is essential for amplifying the flavor.
My preferred method for flavoring the strawberry buttercream is with freeze-dried strawberries. These are fresh strawberries that have all the liquid removed through the process of freeze drying. This makes it easy to grind the strawberries into a powder and add it to the buttercream for incredible strawberry flavor without adding any liquid to the frosting.
Together, the fresh strawberry cake and freeze-dried strawberry buttercream make the most delicious strawberry cake I’ve ever had. It’s pure bliss and so perfect for summertime!
Where to Find Freeze-Dried Strawberries
If you’ve never heard of freeze-dried strawberries, you might just be missing them in the snack aisle of your local grocery store. I’ve had good luck finding them at Target, Fred Meyer (Kroger), and natural food stores like Trader Joe’s, New Seasons, and Whole Foods. You can also order them on Amazon.
If you don’t have easy access to freeze-dried strawberries, fear not! I have this recipe for fresh strawberry buttercream that will work as a substitute for the freeze-dried strawberry below. It uses the same method for flavoring as the cake batter: pureè fresh strawberries, reduce them on the stove, then let the reduced purèe come to room temperature before adding it to the buttercream.
How to Decorate a Mini Strawberry Cake
I love the design of my original strawberry cake recipe so much that I couldn’t help but replicate it in mini form. I used the strawberry buttercream to create a smooth finish before adding pretty piping (rosettes with Wilton tip 1M and stars with Wilton tip 32 for the stars) and fresh chamomile flowers.
I usually get fresh chamomile from the natural grocery store down the street but this year I actually grew my own! It started blooming at just the right time to harvest for this cake, and I’ve been enjoying bouquets of fresh chamomile in my kitchen too. It smells heavenly!
If you’d rather use a different frosting with this strawberry cake recipe, here are some alternative ideas that would taste delicious:
- Vanilla Buttercream
- Lavender Buttercream
- Cream Cheese Buttercream
- White Chocolate Buttercream
- Lemon Buttercream
Regardless of how you decorate, I hope you love this cake recipe as much as I do. Enjoy!
Small Batch Strawberry Cake
Equipment
- 3 4-inch cake pans OR
Ingredients
Small Batch Strawberry Cake
- 3 Oz (84g) fresh strawberries with stems removed About 4 medium sized strawberries
- 1/4 Cup (60ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 3/4 Cups (79g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 Cup (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 Cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp (30g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 drop pink food color gel (optional)
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 Cup (23g) freeze-dried strawberries**
- 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp (45ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
- pinch of salt, or to taste
Garnishes (optional)
- 1 fresh strawberry, sliced
- fresh chamomile flowers
Instructions
Make the Small Batch Strawberry Cake
- Make the Strawberry Reduction: Using a food processor, purèe the strawberries (you’ll end up with 1/3 Cup of purèe). Add the strawberry purèe into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it becomes jam-like and has reduced by more than half. You’ll end up with about 2 1/2 Tablespoons (37g) of reduced purèe after this step, if you have more than that, keep cooking until it's reduced to 2 1/2 Tbsp. Let it cool completely to room temperature (this takes 20 min in the refrigerator) before moving on in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 4-inch or one 6-inch cake pan by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottom(s) with a wax paper or parchment paper cake circle.
- In a medium sized bowl, place the sifted cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until creamy, 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat together with the butter at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the egg, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed.
- Add the vanilla and sour cream, then turn the mixer to high and beat for 1 minute. Meanwhile, mix the strawberry purèe into the whole milk and set aside.
- Turn the mixer off and add all of the dry ingredients at once. Mix on low speed until just combined, then add the strawberry milk mixture and pink food coloring (if using) until just combined, about 30 seconds. Give the batter a few stirs by hand to make sure everything is incorporated without over-mixing.
- Pour the batter evenly between the prepared cake 4-inch pans (or all into one 6-inch cake pan). If using 4-inch cake pans, bake for 18-22 minutes. If using a 6-inch cake pan bake for 24-28 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before assembling and decorating.
Make the Strawberry Buttercream
- With a food processor, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and set aside.
- Whip the butter using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed until it’s creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes. Add the strawberry powder, vanilla, and milk. Continue to mix on medium speed for 1 minute, scraping down the bowl and paddle afterwards.
- Add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition. Add the salt and continue mixing on low speed until the buttercream is fully combined and silky smooth.
Assembly
- Once the strawberry cake is completely cooled, frost and decorate with the strawberry buttercream. To create the mini layer cake pictured, level the cake layers to your desired height. Add a swipe of strawberry buttercream onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Fill and stack the cake with strawberry buttercream, then crumb coat the cake with strawberry buttercream. Place the crumb coated cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the buttercream set firm.
- Divide the remaining buttercream amongst two piping bags – one fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and one fitted with Wilton Tip 4B. Pipe rosettes and stars in a crescent moon shape on top of the cake and as accents on the side of the cake. Finish the look by garnishing with fresh strawberry slices and chamomile flowers.
Notes
- You can make the reduced strawberry puree up to one week before using in the cake recipe and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the cake. Just bring it back to room temperature by letting it sit on the counter for at least an hour.
- The strawberry cake layers can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can wrap them and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing and decorating.
- The strawberry buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer on low for one minute to bring it back to frosting consistency.
How did you like this recipe? And which small batch cake recipe should I make next? Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram! I love to see your bakes.
Hi!
I would love to use this recipe for my daughter’s first birthday cake, but I was wondering what you would recommend to substitute for the sugar. I was thinking of using banana but wasn’t sure if I needed to reduce any of the liquid ingredients too. Any thoughts?
Hi Kristen! I have never tried replacing the sugar in this recipe, and I can’t recommend it because the sugar is responsible for the rise, soft texture, and structure in this cake (in addition to sweetening). Instead, I’d recommend finding a smash cake recipe that already uses a sugar replacement and either add strawberry extract or make a strawberry frosting for the smash cake if you want a strawberry flavor.
Hey Whitney, how much of the strawberry reduction are we using??
Hi Libby! You’ll add all 2 1/2 Tablespoons of the reduction to the cake batter. You basically start with about 1/3 Cup of puree, reduce it to 2 1/2 Tablespoons, let it cool, and then add it in Step 5 of the instructions. Hope that helps!