Let’s get one thing berry clear: this cake may be semi-naked, but it’s fully fabulous. Strawberry flavor takes center stage in this gluten free beauty that’s showing just enough frosting to keep things flirty. It’s giving just rolled out of the cake stand and effortlessly stunning. Think garden party goddess meets strawberry shortcake’s cooler cousin…and with a crown of cheerful daisies on top, it’s blooming with personality. Don’t let the lack of gluten fool ya- this cake’s got all the flavor and none of the fuss. So grab your fork and let’s get a little fruit-forward with some flower power, shall we?
Now, before you start thinking this cake takes all day to make, it’s as easy as pie (actually, easier, because there’s no crust drama here). This beauty comes together faster than planting actual daisies, I swear. With a no-fuss batter, minimal chill time, and the kind of decorating that involves more flower-placing than piping stress, it’s basically the daisy-chain of desserts: simple, sweet, and totally charming. Oh, and did I mention it’s only 247 calories per slice? My vanity this close to summer requires all the cake I shovel into my pie hole (clearly I gotta make a pie next week) be low in cals so crop top season can be enjoyed to the fullest. No blooming waistlines here!
Here’s everything I used for this cake:
- Piping tips: #5 round, #12 round, #104 petal tip
- Americolor yellow and soft pink gel dyes
- Cake and frosting recipe below
Now, grow some roots and stay put for both a photo tutorial AND video tutorial…better than a bouquet of roses I tell ya!
Recipe and Instructions
Gluten free strawberry cake with protein cream cheese frosting
A lush strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting and the cutest daisies ever!
Ingredients
CAKE*1 box of gluten free yellow cake mix (I used Whole Foods 365 GF cake mix)
*1 family size packet of sugar free strawberry Jell-o powder (0.6 oz)
*3/4 cup + 2 TBS fat free or skim milk
*125 g (1/2 cup) unsweetened applesauce
*2 eggs
*1/2 tsp strawberry extract
FROSTING
*226 g (1 cup) vanilla Greek yogurt, strained overnight
*8 ounces 1/3 the fat cream cheese at room temp
*12 ounces Lakanto powdered monkfruit
*4 ounces Quest vanilla milkshake protein powder (cuts the sweetness of the monkfruit and makes a nice, stiff, spreadable frosting; omit and use all monkfruit if desired)
*1 TBS clear vanilla
*1/4 cup + 2 TBS milk
*1/4 tsp citric acid if you like less sweet frosting
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease two 8-inch pans.
- Whisk cake ingredients together in a stand mixer on low for 60 seconds before switching to medium-high for two minutes.
- Pour batter evenly into pan and bake for 24 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean from the center.
- Allow cake to cool fully before frosting.
- To make frosting, whisk cream cheese and yogurt for 3 minutes before adding in half the powdered monkfruit, protein powder, vanilla, and milk.
- Add in remaining monkfruit mix fully.
- While your cakes cool, you can split your frosting up so you have a small amount of white in a #104 petal tip, a smaller amount of yellow with a #12 tip, and dye the rest soft pink.
- Once fully cooled, frost your cake and use the video and galleries above to decorate those daisies.
- Keep cake covered and in the fridge. It is best served at room temp, so remove from fridge 30 minutes before eating. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Macros10 servings
247 cal/43.3 c/3.4 f/10.8 p per slice
Kate Bakes Cakes 