Strawberry Basil Cake

This moist, flavorful strawberry basil cake recipe is made with fresh strawberries, basil and olive oil. It is generously topped with strawberry basil mascarpone whipped cream!

This strawberry and basil cake is the best cake to make for the spring or summer. It is full of natural fresh strawberry and basil flavor. It is topped with creamy and refreshing mascarpone whipped cream!

Seeing that it’s strawberry season, I wanted to make a seasonal strawberry version of my Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake. It is the best cake to make when basil and strawberries are in season!

If you’re looking for another delicious olive oil cake, try my Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Strawberry cake- This cake is tender, moist and delicious. It is made with both fresh and freeze dried strawberries.
• Olive oil– Olive oil adds moisture and a delicious fruity taste.
• Strawberry basil mascarpone whipped cream- The whipped cream is light and fresh tasting. It is made extra creamy and rich from the mascarpone cheese!
• Easy recipe- This cake comes together quickly and is very easy to decorate.

INGREDIENTS

Below are useful notes about some of the ingredients. See recipe card below for full list of ingredients.

• Basil: Fresh basil adds a lovely, unique flavor and just makes this cake even more of a treat!
• Strawberries: We use fresh and freeze dried strawberries.
• Mascarpone: Mascarpone cheese is a very creamy cheese made primarily out of cream. It’s similar to but richer than cream cheese.

INSTRUCTIONS

Below are directions on how to make this basil cake. Please see recipe card for detailed instructions and baking time.

Step One- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step Two- Grind the freeze dried strawberries. In a food processor, blend the freeze dried strawberries to a fine crumb. Stir them into the dry ingredients. 

Step Three- Pulse the fresh strawberries. Pulse strawberries 3-4 times in a food processor.

Step Four- Chop the basil. Finely chop the basil. Set aside.

Step Five- Beat the sugar, eggs and lemon zest. Beat on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer using a whisk attachment until thick, fluffy, and pale.

Step Six- Add the olive oil. With the mixer still running, pour the olive oil in. Beat until combined, about 2 minutes.

Step Seven- Add strawberries and dry ingredients. Reduce speed to low. Add the fresh strawberries alternatively with the dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped basil until just combined.

Next, pour the batter into a 9 by 9 inch round baking pan.

Step Eight- Bake the cake. Bake 30-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place the pan on a rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.

Once cooled or before serving, dust with powdered sugar or top with mascarpone whipped cream.

INSTRUCTIONS- MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM

Step One-Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract on high speed until you have soft peaks. 

Step Two- Add the basil and mascarpone cheese. Add the basil and mascarpone cheese and whip til just medium peaks form. Add the strawberry puree and beat until just before stiff peaks form.

MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM

This whipped cream is the same delicious filling from my Pomegranate Mascarpone Whipped Cream Cake Roll. This whiped cream is:

• EASY TO MAKE: It’s similar to making regular whipped cream. It takes minutes and the mixer does the work!
• VERSATILE: In addition to being the perfect filling for a cake roll, it would be delicious served with some fresh fruit.
• CREAMY YET LIGHT: It’s creamy and indulgent and also light and refreshing!
• PERFECTLY SWEET: It’s great for people who like their desserts a little less sweet. That said, you can easily add a bit more powdered sugar if you want to sweeten it.

STORING

Store cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature. If cake is frosted, it should be kept in the refrigerator.

FREEZING

The unfrosted cake can be frozen. Wrap leftover slices or the whole cake in two layers of plastic wrap. Next, wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Allow the whole cake to come to room temperature for about 2 hours before serving. Individual slices can be warmed in the microwave.

There’s nothing not to love about this Strawberry Basil Cake. It’s flavorful, refreshing and rich and moist. This cake is hinted with basil and fresh strawberries and lemon and topped with Mascarpone Whipped Cream. It’s the perfect summer dessert or the perfect dessert when you’re dreaming about summer days.

Strawberry Basil Cake

Natalie

This Strawberry Basil Cake makes a super moist, flavorful dessert. The easy to make olive oil cake is flavored with fresh strawberries, basil and lemon zest. It's topped with strawberry basil mascarpone whipped cream!

5 from 19 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 34 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 4 minutes mins

Course Cakes

Cuisine American

Servings 10 servings (One 9-inch cake)

Calories 471 kcal

Ingredients

 

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• ▢ 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup (118.29 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ zest of 1 lemon
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves finely chopped, add up to ⅓ cup for stronger flavor
• ▢ 1 ounce (28 g) freeze-dried strawberries ground to a fine crumb
• ▢ ½ cup (70 g) fresh strawberries hulled, then measured (for 1/2 cup or 2½ oz or 70 grams), then pulsed in food processor

FOR THE MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM

• ▢ 1 cup (236 ml) heavy whipping cream cold
• ▢ ½ cup powdered sugar or up to ⅔ cup, based on desired sweetness level
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil finely chopped (don't chop until just before using), add up to 2 tablespoons for stronger flavor
• ▢ ¼ cup (40 g) fresh strawberries hulled and chopped, then measured and puréed
• ▢ 7 ounces (198 g) mascarpone cheese drained, cold

FOR SERVING

• ▢ fresh strawberries whole or chopped (Serve on top of or alongside cake), optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Spray again. 
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a food processor, blend the freeze dried strawberries to a fine crumb. Stir the ground freeze dried strawberries into the dry ingredients. 
• Add the fresh strawberries to a food processor.* Pulse 3-4 times. You should have some small and some medium pieces.
• Finely chop the basil. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer using a whisk attachment on medium speed, beat the sugar, eggs, and lemon zest until thick, fluffy, and pale, about 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the olive oil with the mixer on medium high speed. Add the chopped basil and beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add the fresh strawberries alternatively with the dry ingredients, ending with the dry ingredients. 
• Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake 30-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake (a few crumbs are okay).
• Place the pan on a rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.
• Once cooled or before serving, dust with powdered sugar or top with mascarpone whipped cream.

MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract on high speed until you have soft peaks. 
• Add the basil and mascarpone cheese and whip til just medium peaks form. Add the strawberry puree and beat until just before stiff peaks form. Taste test. Add more basil if stronger if you prefer a stronger basil flavor.

TO ASSEMBLE THE STRAWBERRY BASIL CAKE

• Spread the mascarpone whipped cream on top of the cooled cake. Top with additional whole or chopped strawberries, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

*No need to wash the food processor after grinding the freeze dried strawberries. I pour them out then use it to pulse the fresh strawberries.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 471kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 6gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 124mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 749IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 2mg

Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.

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