The Cutest Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cake Bars (Kid-Approved)

The Cutest Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cake Bars (Kid-Approved)

Double Strawberry Mini Cakes

Servings: 12 mini-loaf cakes

Recipe developed by Chloe Grubb 

For Valentine’s Day, we wanted to bake something that was truly PACKED with strawberry flavor. A lot of strawberry cakes fall flat, so we tested this one a few times until it actually delivered. Using two different types of strawberries gives these cakes a bold, real-berry flavor without artificial colors or flavoring.

Finished with strawberry cream cheese frosting and sweet little strawberry hearts, they’re festive without being over the top. Baked in our Prep to Pack Baking Tray, they’re perfectly sized for a Valentine’s party or easy to tuck into your PlanetBox lunch box. Just pack the frosting on the side for a fun lunch surprise during Valentine’s Day week.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups (207g) cake flour (see note 1)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup strawberry preserves (see note 2)
  • ½ cup powdered freeze dried strawberries (see note 3)
  • ½ cup (200ml) whole milk, at room temperature

Frosting:

  • ½ cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable) (226g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup powdered freeze dried strawberries (see note 3)
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar

Cake Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and prepare your Prep to Pack Baking Trays.
  2. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
  3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  4. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
  5. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract, freeze dried strawberries, and strawberry preserves, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
  6. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour and mix in the milk just until combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Pour/spoon the batter into the trays (a cookie scoop works well here). Each cake well should be filled to the top. Use an offset spatula or spoon to smooth the batter into the wells, wipe clean the sides and edges of the tray. Place in the middle rack of the oven and lower the temperature to 325F and bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Allow the mini cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Instructions:

  1. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  2. Add vanilla extract, salt, and freeze dried strawberries and beat well to combine, about 3-4 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed. The frosting should be a darker red/pink at this point.
  3. Add half the powdered sugar until whisk on low until combined. Scrape sides and repeat with remaining sugar. Increase mixer speed to high, and allow to whisk until light, fluffy, and the frosting has turned a paler pink.

Decorating Instructions:

  1. To decorate, add two mini-scoops of frosting to each cake and smooth it to achieve a flat-top look.
  2. Wash and dry 8-12 small strawberries.
  3. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a V-shape into the top of the whole strawberry, removing the stem and the V-shape.
  4. Trim the tops with the knife to make the edges more rounded, if necessary.
  5. Slice each strawberry into 3-4 thin slices, each about 1/8 inch thick.
  6. Arrange 2-3 slices of strawberry on each cake.

Notes:

  1. If you don't have cake flour, measure out the same amount of AP flour, remove 3TBS of flour, and add in 3 TBS of cornstarch. It won't be as fluffy, but still works! 
  2. I like TJ's reduced sugar preserves. It has half the sugar of regular strawberry preserves, and doesn't use artificial sweetener. 
  3. You need 3-4oz of whole freeze dried strawberries or roughly 1 cup of powdered. TJ's has bags that are 1.2oz, and three of them work well here! Add them to a blender and blitz until a fine powder.