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Vanilla Butter Cake with Strawberry-Mint Buttercream Frosting

butter cake strawberry frosting

My daughter’s birthday was on Saturday and we kept the celebration small and family-focused. I usually prefer intimate gatherings—planning big parties drains me—so staying low-key lets us be flexible and even take short trips together.

A delicious yellow butter cake with strawberry mint buttercream frosting

I may have gone a little overboard with gifts. Watching her face light up as she opened everything made it worth it, though. I was tempted to let her pick out one more present at the store, but I managed to exercise some restraint. It’s funny to look back and wonder how I used to spend money before having a child.

Yellow butter birthday cake with strawberry mint buttercream frosting

For weeks she asked for a cake “with lots of frosting” and that had sugar and strawberries. Naturally I obliged—strawberry frosting is her favorite (we did strawberry-filled cupcakes last year). This time I made a classic buttercream and added a hint of mint. The result is wonderfully addictive—you’ll want to spread it on everything. I may have licked the bowl clean after making it.

The butter cake itself is simple to make, incredibly moist, and properly buttery. It’s, in my opinion, the perfect birthday cake. Because butter is a key component here, use a good-quality unsalted butter for the best flavor—no need to hunt down specialty imports, just a solid brand will do.

birthday cake strawberry buttercream frosting

P.S. I’ve been playing with photo editing. Do you prefer the slightly processed images or the more natural shots? Tell me which style you’d like to see more of.

Recipe Card

butter cake strawberry frosting

Butter Cake with Strawberry Mint Buttercream

Amanda Powell

Fluffy vanilla butter cake topped with creamy strawberry mint frosting
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Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes

Course
Cake
Cuisine
American

Servings
1 9-inch layer cake
Calories
374 kcal

Ingredients

For the Butter Cake

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

For the Strawberry Mint Buttercream

  • 15 strawberries divided
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoons mint extract
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

For the Cake

  • Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  • If using ground vanilla bean, mix it with the sugar. If you prefer vanilla extract, add it later with the vanilla bean paste.
  • Beat the vanilla-sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and beat for 2 more minutes.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating 2–3 minutes between additions.
  • Mix in half the flour mixture slowly until just combined, then add the buttermilk and mix until absorbed. Add the remaining flour and beat on medium for about 2 minutes.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the pans and drop each pan twice on the counter to release air bubbles.
  • Bake 25–30 minutes, until the sides pull away slightly and the top springs back when pressed.
  • Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Strawberry Mint Buttercream

  • Combine 10 strawberries and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Muddle to release juices, bring to a boil, and cook 5–10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature; placing the pan in an ice bath speeds cooling.
  • Beat the butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, beating until creamy between additions. Stir in the mint extract and beat for one minute.
  • Stir a pinch of salt into the strawberry syrup, then pour the syrup into the buttercream and beat until fully incorporated.
  • Chop the remaining strawberries, pat them slightly dry, and fold them into the buttercream.
  • To assemble, place nearly half the buttercream in the center of the bottom layer (don’t spread it out), top with the second layer, then finish frosting. Use an offset spatula to smooth any excess if needed.

Notes

Cake recipe adapted from Modern Baker.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g
Calories: 374kcal
Carbohydrates: 65g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 64mg
Sodium: 161mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 54g



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