Triple Strawberry Cake + When to Use Frozen vs Fresh vs Freeze Dried Strawberries

Triple Strawberry Cake (yield: 1 6-in round cake)

Vanilla Chiffon Cake
1 c (130g) cake flour, sifted
1 tsp (4g) baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 c (100g) sugar
1/3 c (67g) vegetable oil
4 egg yolks
1/3 c (76g) water
1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract
4 egg whites
pinch of cream of tartar
1/3 c (67g) sugar

1. Whisk together the oil, yolks, water, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
2. Add cake flour, baking powder, salt, and first sugar and whisk to combine.
3. In the bowl of a mixer, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until frothy. Add the second sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue to mix on medium-high speed until medium peaks form.
4. Gently fold the meringue into the first mixture.
5. Evenly distribute the cake batter between two 6x3 inch round cake pans that have been prepared with only a circle of parchment paper on the bottom (no grease!)
6. Bake at 350F for 25-30min or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool upside down on a cooling rack

Vanilla Pastry Cream
1 2/3 cups (378g) whole milk
3 tbsp (38g) sugar
1/4 tsp fine salt
5 egg yolks
3 tbsp (27g) cornstarch
1/4 c (50g) sugar
2.5 tbsp (35g) butter
1.5 tsp vanilla

1. Heat the milk, first sugar, and salt on medium heat until it comes to just below a boil.
2. Mix together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and second sugar in a separate bowl.
3. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture by slowly adding some of the hot liquid to the yolks while whisking constantly.
4. Return everything to the pot and cook on medium heat until thickened.
5. Off the heat, strain through a sieve and add butter and vanilla, whisking until homogenous.
6. Press plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream and refrigerate until cool.
7. Stir with spatula to loosen when ready to use.

Strawberry Syrup
3.5 oz (100g) frozen strawberries
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/2 cup (113g) water

1. Add all the ingredients to a pot set over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.
3. Strain.

Fresh Strawberries
1 pint fresh strawberries
1-2 tbsp vanilla sugar (sugar that has been ground with dried vanilla pods)

1. Cut the strawberries into thin slices and toss with vanilla sugar to taste.
2. Let sit for 30 minutes before using.

Strawberry Swiss Buttercream
5 egg whites (165g)
1.25 c (250g) sugar
12 oz (340g) butter, softened
1.2 oz (34g) freeze dried strawberries, ground.
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Add the egg whites and sugar to a heat proof bowl and set over a pot of barely simmering water.
2. Whisk the egg whites and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches a temperature of 160-165F (71-74C).
3. Pour the egg white and sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed. (Note: many recipes have you heat the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the mixer. I prefer to use a separate bowl for the double boiler and whisking steps in order to speed up the cooling process).
4. Whisk the meringue until the bowl is cool to the touch. Depending on your mixer this will take anywhere from 7-12 minutes.
5. Once the bowl is cool, add the softened butter a tablespoon or two at a time (you should be able to make an indent in the butter but it should not be so soft that you can easily push right through).
6. Continue mixing until the buttercream comes together. (It may look curdled at first but should eventually come together. If it does not, heat the bowl for a couple minutes before returning to the mixer. If it does not come together and stays thin, place the bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes at a time before re-mixing).
7. Finish with strawberry powder, salt, vanilla, and any other flavorings to taste.