Strawberry Daiquiri Cake

I'm not really sure how we're already halfway through August, but I do know that making some daiquiris and a cake to go with them is a good way to cope with that.

My favorite drink to order is almost always a strawberry daiquiri. They're sweet, refreshing, and have the perfect balance of strawberry, rum, and just a hint of lime. Plus, they almost always come in a fun glass with a little umbrella, and what's better than that? So, in honor of the classic strawberry daiquiri, I decided to transform my favorite fruity cocktail into a cake.

That's right, I said cake. I was inspired by King Arthur Flour's Banana Daiquiri Cake to dream up a Strawberry Daiquiri Cake. Strawberry, rum, and lime are combined to create a tangy, yet sweet layered cake. The best way to get that authentic strawberry daiquiri flavor is with the same kind of strawberry daiquiri mix you would use if you started whipping up some cocktails. The mix is added to the cake along with the rum, which gives it a rich flavor.

While your cake bakes away, you can get started on the Strawberry Lime Buttercream. Fresh strawberries are pureed, strained to remove the seeds, and then added to the buttercream base. You'll add just a hint of lime juice to contrast the sweetness. The buttercream is on the sweeter side, but the tartness from the lime and the richness of the rum help to balance it out a little more. The buttercream is also on the thinner side so feel free to add in an extra tablespoon or two of softened butter at the end if you decide you want it to be a little fluffier.

This recipe can be used to make a three layer 6 inch cake or a two layer 8 inch cake, depending on what size cake pans you have. If at any point your buttercream becomes too difficult to work with, chill it for 15-20 minutes. Once you frost the cake, you'll have just enough left over to pipe four swirls on top so that you can fit a lime slice in each one. Then, while you're at it, why not just pull that blender out and whip up a strawberry daiquiri to go with your cake?

Instructions

Strawberry Daiquiri Cake

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Combine the strawberry daiquiri mix and rum in a small bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed.
Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the daiquiri mixture to the batter. Stop the mixer halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl with your spatula.
Coat three 6 inch pans with cooking spray or butter and flour. Evenly divide the batter into the pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edge of each pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack and turning each cake out. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

Strawberry Puree

Puree strawberries in a blender or food processor for about 10 seconds or until smooth.
Strain strawberry puree to remove seeds and set aside.

Strawberry Lime Buttercream

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium speed until smooth.
With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of powdered sugar.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the strawberry puree and lime juice.
Mix just until combined and chill until ready to use.

Cake Assembly

Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully cut the tops off with a serrated knife so that each layer is level.
Place one layer, top side down, on a cake board and spread with buttercream. Repeat this step with the next layer.
Apply a crumb coat, or a thin layer of buttercream, around the cake and chill for 20-25 minutes.
Add another layer of buttercream on top of the crumb coat, saving some for adding swirls to the top.
Place a piping tip into a pastry bag and fill it with the remaining buttercream.
Pipe four swirls onto the top of the cake and place a lime slice in each swirl. Chill until ready to serve.
Enjoy!

Strawberry Daiquiri Cake