Easy Strawberry Cake With Basil And Strawberry Roses
Servings 12
Ingredients
- **Ingredients:**
Basil Whipped Cream:
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 1/2 Cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
Strawberry Cake:
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 Tsp. baking soda
- 1 3/4 Cups sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil minced
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 2/3 Cup olive oil
- 1/2 Cup whole milk
- 1/2 Cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 3-4 Driscoll’s Berry Big Strawberries diced
Strawberry Roses:
- 6-7 Driscoll’s Berry Big Strawberries whole or shaped into roses
- Basil leaves
Instructions
Basil Whipped Cream:
- Pour 1 cup heavy cream into a small saucepan.
- Add 1/2 cup basil leaves.
- Heat to a simmer just until barely steaming.
- Remove from heat.
- Cover saucepan and allow to steep for at least 30 minutes.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Strain chilled infused heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and discard basil leaves.
- Add 2 tablespoons sugar to the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Whisk on medium until soft peaks form.
- Chill in the refrigerator until needed.
Strawberry Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
- Spray with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan.
- Place 2 cups of flour into a medium bowl.
- Add 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
- Sift the ingredients together.
- Set aside the flour mixture.
- Place 1 ¾ cups sugar into a large bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons minced basil.
- Massage basil leaves into sugar using fingertips.
- Add 4 eggs and whisk until well combined.
- Add 2/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture and fold together until no white streaks remain.
- Fold in diced strawberries until incorporated.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set aside the strawberry cake to cool completely.
Strawberry Roses:
- Place one strawberry, stem side down, on a cutting board.
- Insert a wooden skewer securely into the tip of the strawberry.
- Holding the skewer in one hand and a paring knife in the other, cut petals around the lowest sides of the strawberry.
- Fan petals out as you work your way around the strawberry and use the skewer to turn the berry as you cut.
- Cut another row of petals slightly above the first row.
- Continue cutting and fanning out petals until you reach the top of the berry.
- Repeat with the remaining strawberries.
Decoration:
- – Spread basil whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake.
- – Decorate the cake with whole Berry Big Strawberries or strawberry roses.
- – Garnish with additional fresh basil leaves as desired.
- – Serve immediately and enjoy the delicious flavors!