Strawberry Vanilla Petite Cakes: Individual Desserts That Steal Hearts
These Strawberry Vanilla Petite Cakes are soft, moist individual cakes bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and warm vanilla notes. Finished with a naturally pink strawberry glaze, they’re perfect for spring gatherings, brunches, or elegant single-serve desserts.
Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ cup fresh strawberry puree
½ cup diced fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
3–4 tablespoons strawberry puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2–3 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12 individual cake molds or large muffin tins with butter and dust with flour.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Toss diced strawberries with cornstarch to prevent them from sinking during baking.
4. In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste until well combined, about 2 minutes.
5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
6. Fold in the strawberry puree, then gently fold in the cornstarch-coated strawberry pieces.
7. Divide batter evenly among prepared molds, filling each about ¾ full.
8. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool cakes in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
10. For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of cream until smooth. Add more cream if needed.
11. Drizzle glaze over cooled cakes and let set for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
• Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and natural color.
• Do not overmix the batter to keep the cakes tender.
• These cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated for up to 3 days.