Yep, I’m aware that those are NOT dandelions on the strawberry dandelion cake. Dandelions are hard to find around here so we decorated with nasturtiums instead. But the flavored syrup is made with dandelions.
This cake is bursting with strawberry flavor and the subtle honey-like sweetness of dandelion syrup. This is a no-too-sweet cake which is the kind of cake our family likes.
It all started with a book, Cake Stand by Quinn Veon, which unfortunately is no longer in print. I first bought the digital edition but then realized I really wanted this in the print edition. So as soon as it came out, I bought it. We have looked through it several times and Esther decided she wanted to pick a cake from it for her birthday cake.
The decision was hard.
She agonized for weeks over the Chocolate Kale Cake or the Strawberry Chamomile Cake. Eventually, the strawberry cake won out.
We made a few modifications and used dandelion tea made with dandelion flowers I dehydrated earlier this spring and we added just a few mulberries to the strawberries in the berry cream frosting.
I love Quinn’s step by step directions in Cake Stand but in all honestly, that’s not how I usually bake. BUT I did this time because I didn’t want to chance Esther’s birthday cake not turning out because I short cut the process. It was actually kind of fun slowing down and enjoying the process.
So here is my adapted version. Enjoy!
Strawberry Dandelion Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 cups strawberries, diced
Dandelion Syrup
- 1/2 cup dandelion tea
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
Strawberry Frosting
- 10 tbsp butter, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup berry puree (strawberries, raspberries, mulberries)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
To Make the Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare two 9" cake pans by greasing with butter and dusting with all purpose flour
Cream butter and sugar together, using a stand mixer or hand mixer
Measure out flour, baking powder and salt and whisk them together in a bowl
Separate the six egg whites and put them in a bowl. Add one whole egg and whisk them together.
When the butter and sugar are creamed together gently add the egg mixture a little at a time. Mixing in each addition before adding more.
Mix in the vanilla.
Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the milk, 1/3 of the flour, the rest of the milk, then the last of the flour. Mix until well blended. You might need to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Stir in diced strawberries
Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. Every oven is different and it might take more or less time so keep an eye on it.
Cool on wire racks while you make the dandelion syrup and frosting.
Make the Dandelion Syrup
Make one cup of dandelion flower tea by adding dried dandelion flowers to a tea ball and steeping in 1/2 cup of hot water. After about 10 minutes take the tea ball out and add the honey.
Make the Berry Buttercream Frosting
Puree the berries in a blender
Whip the butter until it is creamy and light (use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer)
Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time until it is all mixed in
Mix in vanilla and berry puree
Add just enough milk to get the consistency you desire
Putting it all together
Put one cake upside down on a plate and brush with the dandelion syrup. Frost the cake. Put the second cake right side up on top of the first cake and brush with the dandelion syrup. Frost the top and decorate. You can use strawberries or any edible flower to decorate it.
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