When I first read this recipe, it was a vegan version, unfrosted, and I saved it in my breakfast recipe folder. I think I’ve pretty well ruined any chance of calling this healthy or breakfasty by adding strawberry cream cheese frosting, but man…it’s good. For this cake, I don’t think that having both the cake and the frosting strawberry flavored is overkill. In fact, it works delightfully.

Ingredients:

cake:

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup strawberries (thawed, if using frozen)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 4 large eggs, beaten (the website I first saw this had egg replacers, not failed vegans)

strawberry cream cheese frosting:

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 5 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 3 cups powdered sugar

If you have an immersion blender, puree the strawberries in a large bowl. If not, puree in a blender and then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients.

mmmm

Whisk together until evenly combined.

Pour into a 12 cup greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes (mine took 55 for a toothpick in the middle to come out clean).

Cool in the pan for five minutes, and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Once the cake is cool, make the frosting. Beat together the butter, cream cheese, and strawberries until no butter or cream cheese lumps remain. It’s ok if you can still see tiny bits of berry, but no butter or cream cheese lumps! If you’re using thawed frozen berries, they should smoosh up fine with a regular hand mixer, if using fresh berries you might want to give them a rough chop first.

Add the powdered sugar and beat until evenly mixed.

Cut the cake into two layers with a bread knife. If you’re not confident with your skills at cutting evenly, it can help to stick toothpicks in the cake at the height you want, using a ruler to be precise, and use those as a guide, basically resting your knife on them the whole way through.

Spread a layer of frosting on the bottom slice of cake.

Put the top back on, and either artfully drizzle the remaining frosting, or just…heap. Go for it. It’s delicious, I won’t judge!

Giant donut, anyone?

Cut your slices with the bread knife. If it’s not all eaten at once, put it in the fridge for an hour or two, and the frosting will solidify enough that you can then cover it with saran wrap.

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake adapted from A Dash of Sass.

cake:

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 4 large eggs, beaten

strawberry cream cheese frosting:

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 5 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Puree the strawberries, then combine with all other ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together until well mixed, then transfer to bundt pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then invert on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat together butter, cream cheese, and strawberries until no butter or cream cheese lumps remain. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Cut the cake in half and spread a layer of frosting on the bottom half. Replace top, and drizzle/pour remaining frosting on top.

Serve, and store leftovers in the fridge.