Strawberry Sheet Cake + Homemade Sprinkles

I’m not sure about you guys, but for me strawberries are the true food gem of spring and summer. These naturally colored sweet morsels are easily one of my favorite foods, and I try to incorporate them in my diet regularly before fall hits, when all of the berries become shriveled up and inedible. That being said, anything flavored strawberry has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. This summer, I knew I wanted to make a strawberry sheet cake, and I decided to make this one with vanilla frosting. It’s a perfect treat for your summer gatherings, and feeds many. I also made homemade sprinkles to top my sheet cake, which is obviously optional but sooo stinkin’ cute. I know it may seem a little redundant to make something like homemade sprinkles, but let me tell ya, once you start, you won’t want to stop. Making them is not only fun, but relatively easy and allows you to customize the colors for whatever aesthetic you wish. Sprinkles galore I tell ya!! Let me show you how I did it all!:)

The first step is making the sprinkles one day prior to the cake. They are so simple and easy, but they need time to dry, so it’s best to make them the day before you’ll be needing them and let them dry over night. 

Start by adding the powdered sugar, water, corn syrup and vanilla extract in a bowl. Mix it all together. It should be thick but not too thick, like Elmers glue. If it is too thick, only add water 1/4 tsp at a time. Remember, if you are not using gel food coloring, to try adding the colors before the 1/4 teaspoon of water, because that liquid will thin out the mixture as well.

Once the mixture looks right, divide into three bowls and add the coloring of your choice. I knew I was making a strawberry cake, so I chose peach, pink and white, because I thought they would match great. I’ve also done classic rainbow sprinkles using this method, but you can go any way you want, that’s the beauty of making your own! I know I’ll definitely be making some red, white, & green sprinkles for Christmas, or red, white & pink for Valentine’s Day! It is so fun :).

Next, transfer the three colored mixtures into piping bags with a small round tip, or ziplock bags with the tip cut very tiny. You’ll want to add parchment to baking trays, and start piping out long thin lines as evenly as you can. It doesn’t have to be perfect, after all they’re going to be broken up into a bunch of pieces, but just try your best!

Once you have piped out all three mixtures, let the sprinkles harden completely before breaking into pieces that look like classic sprinkles.

If you do not let them dry completely, they may end up sticking together wherever you store them, so don’t rush it! Once they’re done, use in baked goods of your choice or store in an airtight container!

Now we can move onto the cake. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and buttering and flouring a 9×13 inch pan. Set aside.

In a stand mixer or large bowl with your hand mixer, add the oil, sugar, and milk and mix until lighter in color, about 2 minutes.

Puree your strawberries and add 1 cup of it to the mixture. Beat again until well combined.

Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated each time. 

In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine and set aside. 

Next, alternatively add the flour and sour cream to the mixture beginning and ending with the flour. I like using sour cream in my cakes, but you can swap it out for green yogurt if you’d like. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

I chose not to add food gel for a more natural look, but if you want your cake to look pink, now would be a good time to add food coloring, and gently fold it into the batter. 

Add the batter to your pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

While the cake is cooling you can begin the frosting. I used a classic vanilla buttercream, mixing the butter and powdered sugar before adding vanilla and cream.

Once the cake is cooled, evenly spread a generous amount of frosting on top. I wanted mine to look a little rustic so I added some swirls with my spatula, but you can make it perfectly smooth if you wish 🙂 Now grab your homemade sprinkles and add them atop the cake!

You can add as much or little as you like. But seriously, how stinkin’ cute are they?! You can really tell they are out of the ordinary and add an extra happy touch to whatever you’re making!

Now all that’s left to do is slice and serve! I hope you’ll be trying out both of these recipes and hopefully together like I did. I’d love to know what anyone thinks of it!

Time to sit down, relax and enjoy a bite of strawberry heaven!

Hope everyone enjoys:)

 

With Love,

Jenna