This cake is two desserts in one! Layer cake and donuts. It is made with two vanilla cake layers, one strawberry cake layer, strawberry compote filling, and vanilla buttercream. Decorated with vanilla iced donuts, it is sure to be a delight.
Recipe-
Cake and Donut Batter:
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cup sugar
4 eggs room temperature preferred
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup + 3 tablespoons yogurt
¾ cup milk
½ crushed freeze-dried strawberries (with some bigger pieces)
Strawberry Compote:
8 ounces (½ lb.) strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
4 sticks butter
6 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
Donut Icing:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
Rainbow sprinkles (for topping donuts)
Directions-
Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line with parchment paper three 6-inch pans,1 12-cavity mini donut pan, and 1 6-cavity large donut pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix the milk and ½ cup of the yogurt in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth. Take out a little less than ¼ of the batter and put it into a piping bag. Pipe the batter into all 12 cavities of the mini donut pan and 3 cavities of the large donut pan. Take ⅔ of the remaining batter and divide it between two of the prepared pans. With the remaining batter mix in the 3 tablespoons of yogurt and crushed freeze-dried strawberries. Put it into the last prepared pan. Bake until the cakes are lightly browned on top and the centers spring back when pressed, about 20-25 minutes. Let cakes cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and transfer to cooling racks and let cool 45 minutes to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper.
Buttercream: Beat the butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix in vanilla extract and salt and beat the frosting on high until it whitens about 2 minutes.
Compote:
Cook 5 ounces of strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add in the remaining 3 ounces of strawberries and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Cool before using.
Icing:
In a small bowl heat the milk and the butter in the microwave until the butter is melted. Mix the vanilla extract and powdered sugar in. Use immediately.
Decorating:
Step 1: Dip the donuts and top them with sprinkles. Let them dry meanwhile you decorate the cake.
Step 2: Place one of your vanilla cake layers on a ten inch cardboard round.
Step 3: Pipe a ring of buttercream and fill the middle with the strawberry compote. Place the strawberry cake layer on top. Pipe a ring of buttercream and fill the middle with the strawberry compote. Place the second vanilla cake layer on top.
Step 4: Completely frost the outside and the top of your cake with the buttercream; using a flat frosting spatula (offset spatula) and a rotating cake stand will give you a smooth finish on the sides and top, but you can also make this without, and have a more wavy finish.
Step 5: Line the mini donuts on the bottom of the cake. Place one large donut on top.
Enjoy!