Go Back
+ servings
A white plate with naked strawberry layer cake garnished with strawberries next to a white dishtowel with a red stripe and some forks.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Naked Strawberry Layer Cake

Naked Strawberry Layer Cake is made with fresh Strawberry Meringue Buttercream and fluffy vanilla cake layers.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20

Ingredients

For the vanilla cake:

  • 1/2 cup butter room temperature, 115g
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar 60g
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk 120 ml
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil 120 ml
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 185g
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt

For the strawberry puree:

  • 8 medium strawberries
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt

For the Strawberry Meringue Buttercream:

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp strawberry puree

For the White Chocolate Ganache:

  • 5 1/2 ounces white chocolate chopped, 150g
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream 60ml

Instructions

Vanilla Cake:

  • Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease five 6-inch cake pans.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium-high for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and mix for 3 minutes at the same speed.
  • Set the speed to low and slowly stream in vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 6 minutes. The mixture should be white and fluffy.
  • In a small bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add this to the mixture and mix for 1 minute until just combined and no lumps are remaining.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap the cake pans on the countertop to even out the layer and release air bubbles.
  • Bake the cakes for 25 minutes. Rotate the pans after 15 minutes. The cakes will remain slightly buttery and dense but the center should no longer be jiggly.
  • Take the cakes out of the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Strawberry Puree:

  • Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream:

  • You need a perfectly clean bowl to make Meringue Buttercream otherwise the egg whites won’t get stiff. Place sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk until combined. Place the bowl over a hot water bath on the stove. Heat the egg mixture while whisking constantly for about 3 minutes until a candy thermometer registers between 150 to 160°F (65-70°C) and the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch.
  • Return the mixing bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix the egg mixture on medium-high for about 5 - 10 minutes until the meringue is stiff and cooled. You want glossy peaks to appear.
  • Switch to the paddle attachment and lower the speed to medium-low. Slowly add the cubed butter, one tablespoon at a time. Mix until smooth.
  • Add the vanilla extract and whip until smooth. Add the strawberry puree one tablespoon at a time. Don’t force too much liquid into the buttercream. The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.

White Chocolate Ganache:

  • Place the heavy cream into a microwave-safe container and heat for 20-30 second, until it just starts to boil.
  • Pour the cream over the white chocolate, making sure that most of the chocolate is covered. Don’t stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes stir until the white chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth.Set aside to cool completely before using on cake.

Assembly:

  • Place on layer of the cake on a cake stand. Top with meringue buttercream and spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers and finish with buttercream on top. To make the cake semi-naked, smear buttercream on the cake. Once all of the sides are covered, use a scraper and run it around the cake. Clean the scraper each time you loose contact with the cake. Scrap until you have a light covering of buttercream on the surface of the cake and a smooth finish. Chill for 40 minutes.
  • Use a teaspoon to drip the white chocolate ganache along the top edges then fill in the rest of the top with ganache.

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg