Go Back

Strawberry Sugar Cookie Cake

Rebecca | Roses & Whiskers
Soft and sweet strawberry sugar cookie cake topped with a creamy white chocolate buttercream frosting. Easy to make gluten free.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
prep, baking, cooling and decorating time 3 hours
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour for gluten-full cake, substitute all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries ground into a powder (see recipe notes)
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 6 tbsp butter-flavored Crisco
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tbsp seedless strawberry jam room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pink food coloring optional

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Crisco
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 oz. white baking chocolate melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pink food coloring optional
  • sprinkles optional

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and coat the paper and sides with granulated sugar. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Grind 2/3 cup of freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder using a coffee grinder or food processor.
  • Whisk the flour, baking powder and strawberry powder in a medium bowl.
  • In a large bowl, cream the butter, Crisco and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is well-incorporated. On low speed, mix in the vanilla, jam and, if using, the food coloring.
  • On low speed, gradually blend in the dry ingredients until just combined.
  • Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the middle is soft, but no longer wet and doughy. Let cool completely in the pan.

Decorating the Cookie Cake

  • Make the frosting while the cookie cake is cooling. Cream the butter and Crisco until smooth and creamy. Add the white chocolate and mix until smooth. Mix in half of the powdered sugar, the whole milk, heavy cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined. Add in the remaining powdered sugar and cream on high speed until light and fluffy.
  • Once the cake is cool, carefully flip it out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. The cake will be upside down. (You might need to loosen the edges with a butter knife, but it should come out pretty easily.) Flip it again, this time onto a cake board or serving plate.
  • Dye about half of the frosting pink, and spread it on top of the cake. Use an offset spatula and a turntable to create a spiral pattern. Lightly press the flat tip of the spatula gently in the center of the cake and turn the turntable as you lightly drag the spatula in a spiral pattern, all the way to the outer edges of the cake. Scrape off any frosting that overflows onto the edges of the cake.
  • Scoop white frosting into a piping bag fitted with Wilton tip 1M. Pipe small rosettes around the border of the cake and pipe two straight lines on each to form ears. (Make the ear shape by releasing pressure on the piping bag as you finish each line.) Add sprinkles. I used Sprinkle Pop's Egg Hunt mix.
  • Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Notes

*Scoop a generous 2/3 cup of freeze-dried strawberries, a little above the line. I used a small coffee grinder to grind the strawberries into a powder but you can also use a food processor. Or place them into a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.