Preparation Instructions

• Pulse the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until finely ground and set aside for the frosting.
• In the food processor, puree the fresh strawberries until smooth, leaving a few small chunks if desired. Pour the puree into a medium pot and heat over medium-high heat until it boils. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, occasionally stirring, until it reduces by half, about 10 to 15 minutes. You should have approximately 1 cup of puree.
• Transfer the strawberry puree to a heatproof container and allow it to cool completely.
• While the puree cools, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, whisking together.
• In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the granulated sugar and butter together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. It may appear grainy at this point. Mix in the vegetable oil until combined, about 1 more minute. Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl down as needed. If the batter begins to separate after adding egg whites, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dry mixture to help emulsify.
• Mix in half of the dry ingredients on low speed just until a few streaks remain. Next, blend in the cooled strawberry puree and milk until combined. Scrape the bowl, then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter is well mixed. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake the cakes for 23-27 minutes, or until they slightly pull away from the sides of the pan and spring back lightly when pressed in the center. Once cooled, remove the cakes from the pans.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl using a fine-mesh sieve. Add the strawberry powder to the sieve and sift it over the sugar.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and kosher salt on medium-high speed until soft and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 more minute.
• Gradually mix in one-third of the strawberry confectioners' sugar, beating on low speed and scraping the bowl as necessary until fully combined. Repeat this process with the remaining strawberry sugar in two more additions. Finally, add the heavy cream and mix until fully combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
• To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife to level the top of the flattest cake layer. Place this layer on a serving platter and spread 1 cup of buttercream on top. Add the second layer on top and frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream as desired.