Strawberry Almond Layer Cake (Vegan)
Sweet, juicy strawberries pair perfectly with the cozy, nutty taste of almond extract in this fluffy, delicate layer cake. Soft, tender cake layers infused with almond extract are paired with a sweet layer of strawberry jam tucked in between, all wrapped in a lush, bright strawberry buttercream. Incredibly easy to make and completely dairy- and egg-free, it’s the perfect dessert for any summer gathering.
What you will need:
This vibrant, flavorful layer cake is a snap to make, using simple pantry staples you can find at any grocery store, including the freeze-dried strawberries. I chose Stonewall Kitchen Strawberry Jam for the strawberry filling; any strawberry jam will work. I used freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry jam to flavor the strawberry buttercream.
Ingredients:
Almond Cake
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- cane sugar
- plant based butter with salt
- olive oil
- almond extract
- vanilla extract
- apple cider vinegar
- plant based milk
- plant based yogurt
Strawberry Buttercream
- powdered sugar
- plant based butter with salt
- plant based heavy cream
- almond extract
- freeze dried strawberries
- strawberry jam
Assembly:
- strawberry jam
- fresh strawberries for decoration
- freeze-dried strawberry pieces for decoration
How to:
Prep:
Let’s begin by preheating the oven to 350F and preparing 2 6-inch round cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. I find I get the best release by using parchment paper along with greasing the pans thoroughly.
Cake Batter:
Start by bring the dry ingredients together. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until they are well combined and set the bowl aside. Next, bring the wet ingredients together by adding the milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, almond extract and apple cider vinegar to a 2-cup measuring cup. Whisk the ingredients together until they are well combined and set the mixture aside.
Now to bring the batter together, start by adding the butter, oil, and sugar to a medium bowl. Using a handheld mixer, beat them together on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until light, fluffy, and creamy. Mix in half of the liquid ingredients for 15 seconds on medium speed, then add half of the flour mixture and blend for another 15 seconds. Pour in the remaining liquid ingredients, mix for 15 seconds, and finish by adding the rest of the flour mixture, blending on medium speed until no dry flour remains.
Stir the batter a few times with a spatula, then split it evenly between the two pans. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cakes are set. The edges should be pulling away from the sides, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Let them rest in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack. Once turned out onto a cooking rack, remove the parchment paper from the bottoms. Be sure they’ve cooled completely to room temperature before frosting.
Buttercream:
While the cakes are cooling, start on the strawberry buttercream. The first step is to measure out the freeze-dried strawberries. Place them in a food processor and process them into a fine powder. Set the freeze-dried strawberry powder aside for later.
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment and beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides, then beat for another minute until it’s smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar to the creamed butter. Blend the sugar and butter together at medium to medium-high speed until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated, this should take 1 to 2 minutes. Next, add the strawberry powder, almond extract and heavy cream to the bowl and blend at high speed for 3 minutes or until the frosting is light, fluffy and creamy. Lastly, add the strawberry jam, blending at medium speed just long enough to incorporate it.
Assembly:
To assemble the layer cake, place the first cake layer on a plate or serving dish and apply a thick layer of buttercream. Spread it out evenly across the top of the cake. Add the strawberry jam in an even layer to the top of the buttercream layer. Place the second cake layer over the top of the jam layer. Place a thick layer of buttercream on the top of the second cake layer, working it across the top of the cake and down the sides. Add more frosting to make sure the entire cake is covered. Smooth out the frosting with an offset spatula or cake scraper. Add some of the frosting to a piping bag, fitted with the tip of your choice, and decoratively pipe frosting on top of the cake. Finish the cake off by decorating the top with some fresh strawberries and/or freeze-dried strawberries.
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!
Strawberry Almond Layer Cake (Vegan)
Ingredients
Almond Cake
- 2¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (200 grams) cane sugar
- 4 tbsp (56 grams) plant based butter with salt – room temperature
- 4 tbsp olive oil (light)
- ¾ cup (180 ml) plant based milk – room temperature
- ½ cup (120 grams) plant based yogurt – room temperature
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream
- 4 cups (480 grams) powdered sugar
- 12 tbsp (168 grams) plant based butter with salt – room temperature
- 3½ tbsp plant based heavy cream – cold
- ¾ cup (12 grams) freeze dried strawberries – processed into a fine powder
- ⅛ tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp strawberry jam
Assembly
- 4 tbsp strawberry jam
- fresh strawberries for decoration
- freeze-dried strawberry pieces for decoration
Instructions
Almond Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare 2 6-inch round cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
- To a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk to combine and set the bowl aside
- To a 2-cup measuring cup, add the milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, almond extract and apple cider vinegar. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- To a medium bowl, add the butter, oil and sugar. With a handheld mixer, blend the ingredients at medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
- Add half of the liquid mixture to the butter mixture and blend at medium speed for 15 seconds. Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and blend at medium speed for 15 seconds.
- Add the rest of the liquid mixture to the bowl and blend at medium speed for 15 seconds, add the rest of the flour mixture and blend at medium speed until no more flour can be seen.
- Give the batter a few good stirs with a spatula and then divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
- Bake the cakes for 40 minutes or until set – edges are pulling away from the pan and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes and then turn them out onto a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper. Make sure the cakes have cooled to room temperature before frosting them.
Strawberry Buttercream
- Process the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor to a fine powder and set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter. With a balloon whisk attachment, whip the butter for 2 minutes at high speed, scrape the sides and whip for 1 more minute.
- Add the powdered sugar and blend at medium-to-medium high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until it all comes together.
- Add the strawberry powder, heavy cream and almond extract and blend at high speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the strawberry jam, blending at medium speed just long enough to incorporate it.
Assembly
- Set the first cake layer on a plate or serving dish and generously frost the top, spreading it out evenly. Add the strawberry jam to the top of the buttercream layer, evenly spreading it out.
- Place the second cake layer over the top of the jam layer. Cover the top with another thick layer of buttercream, spreading it across the top and down the sides. Add more frosting as needed to ensure the entire cake is fully coated.
- Smooth the buttercream out on the top and sides of the cake with a cake scraper or off set spatula. Place some of the buttercream in a piping bag, fitted with the piping tip of your choice and decoratively pipe buttercream on top of the cake.
- Decorate the cake with some fresh strawberries and/or a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberry pieces.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.