Ingredients:

  • 325g cake flour
  • 300g granulated sugar
  • 225g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 150g egg whites (approximately 5 large eggs)
  • 240ml whole milk
  • 12g baking powder
  • 3g salt
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 450g fresh strawberries (for buttercream reduction)
  • 450g unsalted butter, slightly cool (for frosting)
  • 900g powdered sugar
  • 30ml heavy cream
  • 0.5g salt (pinch for frosting)
  • 150g fresh sliced strawberries (for filling)
  • 5ml lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Start by pureeing your 450g strawberries and simmering them in a saucepan over medium low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes until thick and jam like, reducing the volume by half. Note: This must be completely cold before it touches the butter.
  2. Mix your 325g cake flour, 300g sugar, baking powder, and 3g salt in your mixer. Add the 225g softened butter and mix on low until it looks like damp sand. Note: This coats the flour in fat to prevent a tough cake.
  3. Whisk the 150g egg whites into the 240ml milk and 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste. Gradually pour this into the flour mixture in three batches, beating for 30 seconds between each. Note: This builds the structure without overworking the gluten.
  4. Divide the batter between two greased 8 inch pans. Bake at 350°F for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely in the pans before trying to move them.
  5. Level the tops of your cooled cakes with the serrated knife. To create the heart, cut two curved wedges from the top sides of one cake and move them to the top center to form the lobes. Note: Use a bit of frosting as glue to hold these pieces in place.
  6. Apply a very thin layer of the strawberry buttercream over the entire heart shape. Chill the cake for 20 minutes until the frosting feels firm to the touch. Note: This traps loose crumbs so they don't ruin your final aesthetic pink finish.
  7. Using your 1M star tip, pipe small rosettes or kisses of the remaining strawberry buttercream all over the cake. Start from the bottom and work your way up to ensure full coverage.
  8. Place your 150g sliced strawberries between the layers if you're doing a stacked version. A quick squeeze of 5ml lemon juice over the fresh slices keeps them from browning.