JasmineRichelleBakes: Roasted Strawberry Buttercream Cardamom Cake

Last post for April, we survived another month and another theme. If you haven't noticed this month was all about the berry. First week was the Blackberry Cream Cheese hand pies. Then on to the Blueberry Glazed Doughnut. Last week were the Raspberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes. Finally we are on the Roasted Strawberry Buttercream Cardamom Cake. I don't know why I chose cardamom, I believe I was just trying to use some cardamom pods I had. The flavors really worked well together. The buttercream is sweet and reminds me of summer, the jam is refreshing and a bit tart (in a good way) and the cardamom rounds the whole thing off. I chose to make these in some 4 inch spring form pans. They are the perfect size, I loved the way they turned out. These cakes were also pretty easy to make.

Roasted Strawberry + Cardamom Mini Cake

Cardamom Cake

1 1/2 cups cake flour (sifted)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 oz unsalted butter room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh ground cardamom

Roasted Strawberry Vanilla Jam

1 lb fresh strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Roasted Strawberry Buttercream

1 cup of butter (2 sticks) (softened)
2 cups of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of roasted strawberry vanilla jam

For the Roasted Strawberry Jam

First cut and quarter your strawberries, remove all tops. Place the strawberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar and vanilla extract over strawberries and toss to completely cover.

Place strawberries in a 350F oven for 30 minutes

You better save that syrup

This would be nice on vanilla ice cream

Take your roasted strawberries and syrup and place in a blender or food processor and blend till smooth.

Place pureed strawberries in a pan and place on stove top on medium high heat. stirring until puree thickens slightly. Placed cooled jam in a bowl to cool completely.

Look at that yummy jam

For The Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F and grease three 4"x 3" cake rounds, line with parchment.

In a small bowl whisk flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.

If using fresh cardamom (crush your pods and place the seeds in your spice grinder) Add in your cardamom to your flour mixture

Fresh Cardamom smells so amazing

Cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy, approx. 3mins.

Add egg and mix until combined. Add vanilla.

Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk), fully incorporating after each addition.

pour in that milk

This is a thick batter guys.

Divide batter evenly amongst pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (approx 25-30mins).**

look at all that cardamom

Cool in pans for 10mins, invert and cool completely on wire rack.

For The Buttercream:

Cream butter medium high until pale and fluffy.

whip that butter

Reduce speed and slowly add in sugar.

Beat until smooth and add roasted strawberry jam and beat until combined.

Assembly:
Using a serrated knife or a cake leveler, cut each cake in half horizontally.

cut off the round tops and eat them, then slice it in half

At this point you can either have three 2-layer cakes or make two 3-layer cakes.

Place a cake layer down and add pipe a ring of buttercream on top, spread evenly.