Recipe inspired by the Food Babe Cookbook.

Ingredients – CAKE:

-16 oz fresh strawberries
-2 1/2 cups pastry flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp sea salt
-3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
-1 1/2 cups coconut sugar OR light brown sugar
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-5 large egg whites, room temp.
-1 cup coconut milk

Directions – CAKE:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Grease two parchment-lined, 9-inch round baking pans.
3. Puree the strawberries in a blender.
4. Cook puree in a pot on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 20 minutes). Set aside.
5. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
6. Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl.
7. Beat in strawberry puree and vanilla. Then beat in egg whites, one at a time.
8. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
9. Slowly beat in coconut milk.
10. Pour batter into baking pans. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans.
11. Once cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake pans and turn onto a plate.

Ingredients – FROSTING:

-1.2 oz freeze dried strawberries
-8 oz cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
-3 cups powdered sugar
-1 to 2 tbsp coconut milk
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-Pinch of sea salt
-Fresh sliced strawberries to top

Directions – FROSTING:

1. Pulse dried strawberries in a food processor until they are a powder.
2. Cream together cream cheese and butter in a large bowl.
3. Beat in powdered sugar, coconut milk, vanilla, and salt.
4. Mix in strawberry powder until it is fully incorporated.
5. Spread frosting onto cakes. The two cakes can remain separate or get stacked with wooden dowels for support.
6. Top cake with fresh strawberries (and sprinkles if you like)!
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes:

*See here for instructions on how to dry strawberry slices in your oven if you can’t find them freeze dried.