Californian strawberry cake with egg whites and lactose free
🧁 Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 large egg whites (at room temperature)
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) neutral oil (e.g., canola, sunflower, or melted coconut oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional – boosts strawberry flavor)
- 1 cup (240ml) strawberry purée (from fresh or frozen strawberries)
- ⅓ cup (80ml) unsweetened plant-based milk (almond, soy, or oat)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (activates baking soda)
- Pink gel food coloring (optional)
🍓 How to Make Strawberry Purée:
- Blend about 1½ cups (225g) hulled strawberries until smooth.
- Simmer in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup (about 10 minutes).
- Cool before adding to batter.
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and line two 8-inch round pans or a 9×13-inch pan.
- In a small bowl, mix plant-based milk with lemon juice. Let sit 5 min (makes a vegan “buttermilk”).
2. Mix Dry Ingredients
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whip Egg Whites
In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
4. Combine Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk oil, sugars, vanilla, almond extract (if using), and cooled strawberry purée.
Stir in the plant-based buttermilk.
5. Assemble Batter
- Add the wet mixture to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the whipped egg whites — this gives a fluffy texture.
- Add a drop of pink gel coloring if a more vibrant hue is desired.
6. Bake
- Pour batter evenly into your prepared pans.
- Bake for 22–28 minutes (round pans) or 30–35 minutes (sheet pan), or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool fully before frosting.
🧁 Lactose-Free Strawberry Frosting Options
🥥 Coconut Whipped Cream (Chilled):
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (chilled overnight)
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Whip thick cream layer until fluffy
🌱 Lactose-Free Strawberry Buttercream:
- ½ cup (115g) plant-based butter substitute
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp strawberry purée
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Beat until light and fluffy
✅ Tips
- Keep strawberries as natural and fresh as possible — avoid overly sweetened purée.
- Fold egg whites gently to keep the cake airy and soft.
- Store in the fridge (especially with coconut cream) for up to 3 days.
