If you wish to slice the cake so that you can fill it, do so after you remove it from the pan. A sliced cake will cool a lot faster!
If you bought a pre-baked sponge cake, slice it in half or into thirds first.
Spread the filling as close to the edges of the cake as possible. For a richer cake, apply buttercream to the underside of the second layer, then sandwich sliced strawberries between the 2 layers. Press down on the second layer hard enough so that it sticks to the filling, but not so hard that the filling oozes out.
Run a cake decorating comb around the sides of the cake to give it more texture. The comb looks like a rectangle with teeth cut into 1 side.
There is no specific amount of time that the frosting should set. You just want it to be firm enough so that it can hold the strawberries.
Make the slices about 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 in (0. 32 to 0. 64 cm) thick. Save the nicest strawberry for the center! Rinse and dry it, then cut the leafy green part off.
If you leave space between the strawberries and the edge of the cake, you’ll be able to pipe buttercream scallops.
If you overlap the strawberries by more than halfway, the points will stick up and create a rose-like design in the end. Make sure that the ends of the strawberries are pointing towards the edges of the cake too.
The heated preserves will make the strawberries look glossy and help them stay fresh longer. Raspberry, strawberry, or apricot preserves will all work great for this. If you have any heated preserves left, discard them or use them in another recipe. If you left space between the strawberries and the edges of the cake, pipe buttercream scallops around the cake. Do this after you pour the preserves.
Don’t use warped, blob-shaped strawberries. They won’t make very good roses. Don’t hull the strawberry by driving a straw through it. You need the point intact.
The width of the cut will vary from strawberry to strawberry. It will happen naturally based on the way it’s curving. Start the cut about a third to half of the way up the side of the strawberry. Make the cut horizontal and parallel to the cutting board.
The cuts should be close enough so that they are almost touching. Don’t leave large gaps between them. Because of the strawberry’s curved shape, these horizontal cuts will look like semicircles. When you peel them away later, they’ll look like petals. This completes your first row of petals.
Do not cut into the petals from the first row or you’ll ruin them. How many petals you fit will depend on the size of your strawberry. You should be able to fit 3 to 4 petals, however. If you have enough room above the second row, you could make a third row of petals. You’ll probably only be able to fit 2 or 3 petals, however.
Just like the previous rows, don’t cut into the petals below it.
This completes 1 strawberry rose. Use this process to make as many as you want. If you’re making multiple strawberry roses, consider making them in different sizes. This will make the arrangement look more realistic.
Raspberry preserves will work great for this, but you can also use strawberry or apricot. Alternatively, use red or pink piping gel. For best flavor, match the buttercream to the one that you used on your cake. For example, if you used vanilla buttercream to frost the cake, use vanilla buttercream to adhere the strawberry.
Leave the greens on the mini strawberries. Alternatively, cut them off and pipe your own greens with green frosting. Slice more strawberries in half, then arrange them around the bottom edge of the cake. Alternatively pipe the vines onto parchment paper with melted chocolate first. Let the chocolate harden, then peel it off and set it on the cake.
Heat 1 cup (325 g) of strawberry, raspberry, or apricot preserves, then pour it over the strawberries for a glossy look. This design works for cakes of any shape: square, rectangle, or round. For a nicer presentation, choose strawberries that are roughly the same shape and size.
Make the slices about 1⁄4 in (0. 64 cm) wide. Arrange the hearts in whatever pattern you want on the cake. For example, you could scatter them randomly, or make a beautiful arc. Place 2 hearts together with the points touching to create a butterfly!
Place the strawberries as close together or as far apart as you’d like. If you’re piping the stars, make them wider than the strawberries. Alternatively, slice the strawberries in half, then place them cut-side-down onto the frosting. Make the points face into the cake.
If you sliced the strawberries in half, press the cut side into the frosting so that the outside of the strawberry is visible. Use strawberries that are all the same shape and size for a more processional touch. The cake will be more colorful if you place the strawberries side-by-side, but you can leave up to 1 in (2. 5 cm) gaps between each berry.
Blackberries or raspberries will also work for this. You can use other berries with other designs. For example, you could replace some of those strawberries with blackberries in the vined design!
Create a more colorful design by adding more rings of strawberries within the first ring. If you’re adding more rings, consider alternating the directions the strawberries point in: clockwise and counterclockwise.
Alternatively, frost the cake with strawberry buttercream, then pour ganache over it. Pipe buttercream stars on top, then add the chocolate dipped strawberries. [12] X Research source For a richer treat, frost the entire cake with ganache. Place the dipped strawberries on top, then add some chocolate curls. [13] X Research source Milk, dark, and white chocolate are all great choices. You could even dip the strawberries in 2 colors of chocolate, or drizzle melted chocolate on top. Leave the green leaves on the strawberries; they will look nicer.
