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Life's a celebration and for the rest of the year there are celebrations every month. August 29-nephew's Birthday, September 7- Labor Day, September 16-brother's Birthday, September 28-brother's Wedding Aniversary, September 29-my Birthday, October 29-daughter's Birthday, November 26-big sister's Birthday and Thanksgiving Day, December 23-Parents 61st Wedding Aniversary and December 25-Christmas Day. Wow, what a list, that's a lot of celebrating and this Black & White Strawberry Lemon Cake can add some "Happy" to just about any celebration.
I'm one who likes to bake from scratch using a minimal of processed product, the new Pillsbury Purely Simple baking mixes are perfect when I'm short on time but in need of a tasty creation. These mixes are free of preservatives, colors and artificial flavors, they are new at Target and can be found on the baking mixes aisle.
Use your Cartwheel App and get 25% off the Pillsbury Purely Simple baking mixes while the offer last. These mixes are avaliable in vanilla and chocolate.
Pillsbury Purely Simple mixes are also available in a chocolate chip cookie and brownie mix.
I made this cake for a recent gathering, I normally make it totally from scratch, but this time I used Pillsbury Purely Simple White Cake Mix for the vanilla cake and Pillsbury Purely Simple Chocolate Cake Mix for the chocolate cake.
First the vanilla cake, after whisking the cake mix to loosen the mix and get out some of the lumps I added in the vegan butter and mixed it with a hand mixer.
Next I added in a mix of sparkling water, almond milk and baking powder. The sparkling water and the baking powder serve as the replacement for the eggs, I used ¼ cup carbonated water for each egg that was replaced.
After blending in the water, milk and baking powder I added the lemon juice and zest, mixed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes, transferred to prepared pans, and baked 30 to 35 minutes.
While the vanilla cake was baking I prepared the chocolate cake following the same steps.
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Now time for the frosting.
I blended in vegan butter, replaced the water for lemon juice and added in some strawberry puree.
The frosting works best after placing in the fridge 30 to 40 minutes or more to stiffen it a bit before frosting the layers.
When frosting I alternated the layers starting with the chocolate cake first. I left a bit of an elevated edge to keep the strawberries in place between the layers.
I finished it off with a few sliced strawberries on top, it's almost too pretty to eat.
I added more strawberries to the sliced cake.
Ingredients
- White Cake
- 1 box Pillsbury Purely Simple White Cake Mix
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
- ¾ cup sparkling water
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Chocolate Cake
- 1 box Pillsbury Purely Simple Chocolate Cake Mix
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
- ¾ cup sparkling water
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
Strawberry Frosting:
- 2 package Pillsbury Purely Simple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Mix
- 1 cup vegan butter softened
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 lbs fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two round 9-inch cake pans with oil. Cut two circles out of parchment paper to fit the bottom of each pan. Make sure both sides of parchment paper is oiled.
- Place dry batter into a medium bowl and whisk (affiliate link) to remove lumps.
- Add in the melted vegan butter and mix until well incorprated.
- Add in the water, milk and baking powder, mix until smooth.
- Add in lemon juice and zest, to batter, beat 2 to 3 minutes,
- Tranfer batter to prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Repeat with chocolate cake.
- While cakes are baking prepare frosting.
- In a medium bowl blend softened vegan butter with frosting mix until blended.
- Add lemon juice to bowl and blend until well incorprated.
- Puree 5 to 6 strawberries in blender, add 3 tablespoons of puree to frosting mix and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge 30 to 40 minutes to stiffen.
- Slice the strawberries reserving about 12 for the top of cake.
- Place first layer on a plate, I started with the chocolate layer.
- Spread frosting over cake, leave a bit of an elevated edge and place the sliced strawberries on top of the frosting,just inside elevated edge.
- Continue to frost the layers this way alternating the chocolate and vanilla layers.
- Cut the whole strawberries in half and arrange them on top of the cake.
- Serve or chill cake until ready to serve.
- Have loads of fun and enjoy!!!
This cake has quickly become one of my families favorite. What's your families favorite?
Post was shared with Couponin Diva-Feature Fridays, Building Blocks Blog-Fridays Blog Booster Party, Ducks 'n a Row-Google+ Growing Circles Hop, Lou Lou Girls-Fabulous Party
Hannah Atkinson says
Wow! I'm really surprised, you made vegan cake look possible to me! I had no idea about using sparkling water instead of eggs. I'm not vegan but I am looking to reduce my dairy intake so thank you. Thanks for linking up with #featurefridays
Celeste says
Thanks Hannah, I hope you give this one a try.
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
This is such a gorgeous cake! I love that frosting and I need to find that mix too! Pinned!
Celeste says
Thanks Dorothy, you can find the mix at Target, one of my favorite places to shop.
Donna Wirthlin says
Wow, this looks so delicious! I will check Target for the Pillsbury mixes next time I am there-I haven't seen those in our local stores (small town). Nice to co-host with you at #OMHGWW, too.
Tonya says
Wow! What a way to kick off celebration season!!! You really know how to please a crowd!! You should be nominated family member of the year with one!! And get this, you should celebrate with the gorgeous cake. 🙂 Pinned!!!
Celeste says
That's a great idea.
Thanks Tonya
Kathleen says
Wow. You celebrated in style, that cake looks awesome. I love that you take the healthier options too. We are so pleased that you brought this great post to Fridays Blog Booster Party #21. We would love to see more of your posts.
Thanks, Kathleen
Celeste says
Thanks Kathleen, I happened upon your party and I will for sure be back again next week.
Cheri @ Mittens with Buttons says
This looks delicious!!! I have not heard of or even seen the Purely Simple mixes. I'll have to try them out. When I bake, it's always from scratch because I hate all of the added perservatives in the mixes. This may be a great alternative for us.
Thanks!
Celeste says
That's the great thing about this new mix. No added perservatives or colors.
Ducks 'n a Row says
This is so pretty! Pinned it 🙂
We have a loaded up August and September in our family. too. Love to celebrate but we are so jammed with events that we've combined to of the my nephews birthday parties into one picnic party. 🙂
Celeste says
I think we will be doing the same and celebrate together on Labor Day because September is jam packed with special days.
Thanks for visiting!
Michelle says
That cake looks amazing. I hear you with all the celebrations. We have the same "problem" in my family at the beginning of August and everyone wants their own cakes. I love this idea with the different layers and flavors. Yum! #client
Celeste says
Thanks Michelle, It doesn't last long at any of our gatherings.
Karilee says
Thank You my Grandson is allergic to many foods and anything bovine. I've been building a cookbook for my Dsughter-in-law redoing a lot of my baked goods. I hate boxed cake mixes and wondered how people got them to rise? Like the 7- up cake from the 1970's? Wow,Thank you for the vegan ideas
Celeste says
Karilee I am so glad to know that this was helpful to you and your family.
Happy cooking!