Brown Sugar Strawberry Frosted Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF with a rack in the center.  

To make the brown sugar cake: Lightly grease an 8" round pan that’s at least 2" deep with nonstick spray and line the bottom with an 8" round of parchment. 

In a small bowl or a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla until combined. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed until combined. 

Cut the butter into roughly tablespoon-size pieces and add it all to the bowl. Mix on low speed until the butter is evenly distributed and the mixture looks sandy, 1 to 2 minutes. (This mixing method is called reverse creaming and is also known as the paste method.)  

With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture. Continue mixing on low speed until the liquid ingredients are incorporated, then increase the mixer speed to medium-high and for 1 minute until smooth; the batter should slightly thicken. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice while mixing the batter to ensure it’s evenly combined. 

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter several times to release any large air bubbles. 

Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then turn it out of the pan and onto the rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream.  

To make the strawberry buttercream: While the cake is cooling, make the buttercream. In a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater or in a large bowl working with an electric hand mixer, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, freeze-dried strawberries, 1 tablespoon (14g) of the cream, and salt. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened, then increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl several times. If the frosting is too thick, add the additional 1 tablespoon (14g) of cream and mix until light and fluffy. 

Place the cooled cake on a serving plate and transfer the strawberry buttercream to the top of the cake. Spread it evenly over the top of the cake as desired. Slice and serve at room temperature. 

Storage information: Store any leftover brown sugar cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.