Strawberry Princess Cake Recipe: Light, Creamy and Elegant

Strawberry Puree (yields 1 cup but will only require ½ cup)

• 1 pound fresh hulled and sliced strawberries 16 oz
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Total Yield = 1 cup

Marzipan

• 8 oz pink marzipan

Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

• 1 packet powdered gelatin (7 g)
• 2 ½ tbsp water
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 ½ tbsp cornstarch
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 4 tbsp salted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream folded in after cooling
• ½ cup strawberry puree from above

Strawberry Jam

• 12 oz strawberries, fresh or frozen
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

Chiffon Cake

• 3 egg yolks
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 ½ tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 4 large egg whites
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar

Mascarpone Cream

• ½ cup mascarpone
• 1 ⅔ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt

Sweet Milk Soak

• 125 g milk
• 25 g sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry puree:

• Place sliced strawberries, water, sugar, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Cook the puree in a medium saucepan over medium heat until reduced by about half, yielding roughly 1 cup; this takes about 20 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and cool completely before using.
• Set the puree aside to cool fully.
  

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

• Sprinkle gelatin over water and let bloom for 5 minutes.
• Heat milk with vanilla paste and salt until just boiling.
• Whisk cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually temper in the hot milk while whisking, then return the mixture to the saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream is thick, smooth, and glossy.
• Off the heat, whisk in the bloomed gelatin and butter until fully incorporated. Stir in ½ cup of the cooled strawberry puree.
• Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill until set, ideally overnight.
  

Chiffon Cake

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk yolks with brown sugar, oil, and water until combined.
• Sift the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture and whisk to a smooth batter.
• In a mixer, whip egg whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
• Stir one-third of the meringue into the yolk batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining meringue.
• Pour the batter into an ungreased 16×10” sheet pan and bake at 325°F (about 15 minutes) until golden and springy to the touch.
  
• To help the cake keep its height, drop the pan about 6 inches onto the counter after it comes out of the oven. Cool completely before removing from the pan.

Strawberry Jam

• Combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest, salt, and vanilla in a pot. Toss to coat and let macerate for 30 minutes.
• Cook over medium-high heat until the jam reaches 220–225°F, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
• Transfer to a container, cool, and refrigerate until set.

Sweet Milk Soak

• Whisk milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla together until the sugar dissolves. This soak keeps the cake layers tender and adds subtle sweetness.

Mascarpone Cream

• Beat mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and salt until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Keep chilled until assembly.

Assembly

• Whip the reserved 1 cup of cream and fold it gently into the chilled pastry cream for a lighter texture.
• Cut the chiffon sheet into three rectangles (approximately 5.33″ x 10″ each). An acetate cake collar shaped to the layer size helps keep the cake neat during assembly.
  
• Place the first cake layer on your serving plate. Brush with the milk soak, spread one-third of the jam, then spread half of the pastry cream. Repeat with the second layer.
• Top with the final cake layer, spread the remaining jam, and chill the assembled cake overnight so the layers set firmly.
  
• Mound the mascarpone cream into a dome on top of the chilled cake.
• Roll out the pink marzipan on a counter dusted with powdered sugar to a thin sheet. Drape it over the cake, smooth gently, and trim the edges.
• Chill the finished cake until ready to serve. When slicing, use a sharp knife and enjoy the layered combination of chiffon, jam, and strawberry pastry cream.

Adapted from Hannah Ziskin’s version.