UNSALTED BUTTER: Butter contributes fats for tenderness and taste whereas additionally helping in aeration when creamed with sugar. In cake batter, its semisolid nature permits it to lure air, which expands throughout baking, contributing to a lighter texture. In buttercream, its emulsifying properties create a {smooth} and steady frosting.
GRANULATED SUGAR: Sugar is extra than simply sweetness—it impacts construction and texture. It binds water molecules, lowering gluten formation for a extra tender crumb. It additionally assists in aeration throughout creaming, serving to to include air pockets that contribute to the cake’s rise.
NEUTRAL OIL: Oil gives moisture and prevents the cake from feeling dry. Not like butter, oil stays liquid at room temperature, lending a softer texture and prolonging the cake’s freshness.
EGG WHITES: Egg whites present construction attributable to their protein content material, which coagulates when heated, giving the cake stability. With out egg yolks, the cake has a finer, tighter crumb and a lighter texture. Since yolks comprise fats, eradicating them barely reduces richness, however the inclusion of bitter cream and oil counterbalances this impact. The absence of egg yolks additionally helps hold the cake white, because the yolks’ yellow pigment would in any other case contribute to a extra off-white colour.
VANILLA EXTRACT: Vanilla enhances taste complexity, including heat and fragrant depth to the cake. It additionally has alcohol, which might help distribute flavors extra successfully all through the batter.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Flour gives the first construction of the cake by way of gluten growth. The stability between flour, fats, and sugar determines the ultimate texture—an excessive amount of flour results in toughness, whereas too little leads to collapse.
BAKING POWDER: A chemical leavening agent, baking powder releases carbon dioxide gasoline when combined with liquid and uncovered to warmth. This expands the air pockets created throughout creaming, inflicting the cake to rise. If double-acting, it releases gasoline each when combined and when baked, guaranteeing an excellent rise.
KOSHER SALT: Salt enhances taste by balancing sweetness and intensifying different style perceptions. It additionally strengthens the gluten community barely, enhancing texture.
WHOLE MILK: The stability of water, fats, and proteins influences construction and tenderness. Water hydrates the flour, permitting gluten to kind, whereas milk proteins contribute to a superb crumb. The fats content material helps create a softer texture, and
the pure sugars promote mild caramelization for a golden crust. Room temperature is essential—it blends extra seamlessly into the batter, stopping curdling and guaranteeing even distribution of fats.
SOUR CREAM: The acidity from bitter cream weakens gluten growth, resulting in a extra delicate, tender cake. Second, it reacts with baking powder to create carbon dioxide, giving the batter an additional raise. The fats content material contributes richness, and the tang subtly balances the cake’s sweetness.
CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR: Not like granulated sugar, which has giant, sharp crystals, confectioners’ sugar is floor right into a superb powder, usually combined with a small quantity of cornstarch (round 3%) to forestall clumping. This ultra-fine texture means it dissolves effortlessly into buttercream, creating that silky-smooth end. In frostings, it stabilizes fats and air, ensuring every part holds its form. The cornstarch additionally absorbs extra moisture, retaining buttercream from weeping or changing into grainy over time.
HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM: Heavy whipping cream is usually butterfat (at the very least 36%), which implies it brings luxurious richness to buttercream and an ethereal, cloudlike lightness to the strawberry filling. When whipped, the fats traps air, making a construction that’s each steady and melt-in-your-mouth mushy.
PURPLE LIQUID FOOD COLORING: Butter has a pure yellow hue due to beta-carotene within the milk fats. While you need a pristine white frosting, a tiny drop of purple meals coloring neutralizes that yellow tint. This works as a result of yellow and purple sit reverse one another on the colour wheel—collectively, they create a impartial white as an alternative of a heat, buttery yellow. The important thing? A microscopic quantity. An excessive amount of, and abruptly your marriage ceremony cake frosting has a lilac undertone.
WATER: Within the Vanilla Easy Syrup, water acts as a common solvent, dissolving sugar to create a liquid that seeps into the cake layers, retaining them moist with out making them soggy. It additionally performs a task in caramelization—when sugar and water warmth up collectively, the water slows the browning course of, permitting for even cooking. Within the cake batter, the water content material in milk and eggs controls gluten formation and starch gelatinization, each important for construction.
FRESH STRAWBERRIES: Strawberries are round 90% water, which makes them a tough ingredient in fillings—an excessive amount of liquid and also you threat a runny consistency. Roasting them solves this, evaporating extra water whereas concentrating pure sugars and deepening their taste. Strawberries are additionally naturally acidic, which boosts the general stability of the cake. The softening of pectin throughout roasting offers the filling a luscious texture, and the fruit’s vibrant tartness cuts by way of the richness of butter and cream.
CREAM CHEESE: Not like butter, which is almost pure fats, cream cheese comprises about 55% water. This excessive moisture content material offers frostings and fillings a {smooth}, spreadable consistency whereas additionally providing construction and stability. The acidity performs nicely with sugar, retaining the filling from changing into too candy, and the tanginess enhances the flavour of the strawberries.
THE COMPONENTS
VANILLA WHITE CAKE: The inspiration of this cake is a light-weight and fluffy but sturdy vanilla white cake. The recipe is versatile and may be scaled to create three distinct tiers—6-, 9-, and 12-inch muffins—plus a 13×9-inch sheet cake for additional servings, which makes it a super alternative for each grand marriage ceremony muffins and extra intimate gatherings.
VANILLA SIMPLE SYRUP: Soaking the cake layers in easy syrup is the key to retaining the cake moist and flavorful. Infused with vanilla, the syrup elevates the delicate taste of the cake and provides a mild sweetness with out overwhelming the palate.
STRAWBERRY CREAM FILLING: Recent strawberries are roasted to accentuate their taste after which blended with a fluffy combination of cream cheese and heavy whipping cream. The filling is mild but luxurious, providing the proper stability to the vanilla cake and buttercream.
VANILLA AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM: This {smooth}, creamy buttercream is the proper foil to the strawberries. Its buttery richness gives a lush texture that melts in your mouth. The addition of heavy cream offers the buttercream a mushy, velvety consistency, making it simple to work with and excellent for creating {smooth} layers and delightful decorations.
KITCHEN CONFIDANTS
Listed here are just a few kitchen necessities that may assist you create a cake worthy of any celebration. 
ROUND PANS: Spherical pans—usually 6-inch, 9-inch, and 12-inch—are the proper trio for making a basic tiered cake. These sizes assist you to construct top and dimension, guaranteeing every layer is superbly proportioned. With them, you’ll be able to obtain a placing visible stability whereas serving differing numbers of visitors. (Pictured: Williams Sonoma Goldtouch® Professional Nonstick Spherical Cake Pan in 6-inch, Williams Sonoma Goldtouch® Professional Nonstick Spherical Cake Pan in 9-inch, Fats Daddio’s Anodized Aluminum Spherical Cake Pan in 12×3-inch.)
RECTANGULAR BAKING PAN: An oblong baking pan is crucial for baking sheet muffins, that are excellent for serving bigger crowds and may be adorned with the identical class as tiered muffins. (Pictured: Williams Sonoma Goldtouch® Professional Nonstick Rectangular Cake Pan.)
SERRATED KNIFE: A serrated knife is your greatest good friend on the subject of leveling muffins. Not like a straight-edged knife, the serrated blade will assist you reduce by way of the sponge with out disturbing the fragile crumb. Use it to trim off the tops of your layers in order that they sit evenly, guaranteeing every tier is completely degree and prepared for frosting. (Pictured: Zwilling Professional Bread Knife with Z15 Serration, 9 ”.)
CAKE BOARD: Every tier of the cake ought to be positioned by itself cake board to make sure each construction and stability. Use appropriately sized greaseproof or plastic boards to match the scale of your tiers. Should you select greaseproof boards, tape two along with the greaseproof sides dealing with out to forestall moisture from the cake from weakening the board’s construction. These boards are important for simple dealing with and transferring of layers and to maintain the assembled cake steady and forestall it from shifting or collapsing as you stack and beautify.
CAKE TURNTABLE: A cake turntable is essential for {smooth}, even piping and frosting. As you’re employed along with your buttercream, a turntable permits you to rotate the cake effortlessly, guaranteeing a flawless end all the best way round. This device is a should for getting crisp, clear edges in your tiers and makes adorning loads simpler by providing you with full 360-degree entry.
WOODEN DOWELS: Picket dowels present assist to your stacked tiers and hold them from falling over. When you’ve assembled every tier, insert these dowels into every apart from the topmost tier. The 12-inch wood dowels are lengthy sufficient to offer your cake the energy it wants, and they are often reduce to dimension to completely match every tier utilizing a PVC pipe cutter.
CAKE LIFTER: A cake lifter is especially useful when working with bigger or tiered muffins, permitting you to raise and switch your creations with out worrying about damaging them. A sturdy cake mover will assist you slide the cake off the turntable and onto your last cake plate or show stand with ease. (Pictured: Nordic Ware Cake Lifter.)
SQUEEZE BOTTLE: With a squeeze bottle, you’ll be able to drizzle a skinny, constant layer of Vanilla Easy Syrup onto the cake layers, permitting them to soak up the liquid with out oversaturating any areas. It’s much more exact than utilizing a spoon or pouring instantly, providing you with the liberty to work in small, managed quantities. This ensures the cake stays moist—not moist—with simply the suitable stability of taste and texture. (Pictured: OXO Good Grips Chef’s Squeeze Bottle-Medium.)
OFFSET SPATULAS: A big offset spatula is your go-to for spreading buttercream onto your cake. The lengthy, offset blade permits you to glide on the floor with management, guaranteeing an excellent and {smooth} layer of frosting. A small offset spatula is good for including superb particulars to your cake, particularly across the edges, or for working in tight areas between tiers. (Williams Sonoma Olivewood Offset Icing Spatula.)
LEVEL: Utilizing a degree when making a marriage cake is crucial for guaranteeing every tier sits completely straight. It’s a small however essential step that ensures your tiers align superbly and your cake stays regular, regardless of what number of layers it has. (9 Inch Stage.)
SPRAY BOTTLE: Flippantly misting the cake with water from a sprig bottle earlier than a ending go with a small offset spatula or bench scraper helps to even out the consistency of the buttercream and create a {smooth}, polished exterior. (Glass Spray Bottle.)
ARC RULER: An arc ruler helps you pipe symmetrical curves and delicate borders with ease. It’s particularly helpful for marriage ceremony muffins, the place uniformity and class are important, permitting every design component to stream seamlessly throughout the tiers. (Pictured: Fondant Cake Arc Ruler.)
PASTRY BAG/PIPING COUPLER: A sturdy pastry bag is indispensable for all of your piping work. The versatile materials permits you to squeeze with ease and precision, and it may be fitted with completely different piping tricks to create a variety of lovely designs. And switching between ideas is simple with the assistance of a piping coupler, which lets you change designs while not having to swap out your bag.
GLASS NESTING BOWLS: Glass is nonreactive, which means it gained’t intervene with the chemical composition of elements like eggs, dairy, or acidic elements. The transparency of glass additionally permits for simple monitoring of mixtures. Nesting bowls assist with mise en place, guaranteeing all elements are measured and prepared, which is essential in exact baking. (Pictured: Glass Mixing Bowl 10-Piece Set.)
RIMMED BAKING SHEET WITH WIRE RACK: The rimmed baking sheet prevents spills when roasting strawberries, and the wire rack ensures even air circulation for cooling muffins. Warmth switch is optimized, stopping sogginess and permitting extra moisture to flee, which is important for sustaining a cake’s construction. (Pictured: Williams Sonoma Goldtouch® Professional Nonstick Non Corrugated Half Sheet with Cooling Rack.)
SILICONE SPATULAS: Silicone is heat-resistant and versatile, making it ideally suited for scraping bowls effectively, guaranteeing no ingredient is wasted. (Pictured: Get It Proper Final Spatula in Mint, Get It Proper Mini Spatula in Mint.)
KITCHEN SHEARS: Excessive-quality shears permit exact trimming of parchment paper for lining pans and of pastry baggage, guaranteeing clear, managed cuts. (Pictured: Zwilling Multi-Function Kitchen Shears.)
PVC PIPE CUTTER: A must have for exact, clear cuts on wood dowels used to assist tiered muffins, this device ensures stability by permitting you to trim dowels to the precise top wanted, stopping uneven stacking and structural points. (PVC Cutter.)
SAUCEPAN: A saucepan gives managed warmth distribution for making Vanilla Easy Syrup. The gradual heating course of ensures even sugar dissolution, stopping crystallization and permitting the syrup to penetrate cake layers successfully for added moisture. (Williams Sonoma Signature Thermo-CladTM Stainless-Metal Saucepan.)
