Prepare Your Ingredients:

1. Remove butter, eggs, and buttermilk from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before baking to bring to room temperature. This ensures proper mixing and texture.

Make Strawberry Puree: 2. Hull and slice 1½ cups of fresh strawberries. Place them in a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth. Measure out 1 cup for the cake batter and set aside. If making strawberry frosting, reserve an additional ¼ cup.

Preheat and Prep Pans: 3. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans thoroughly with butter or cooking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper circles. Grease the parchment as well, then lightly dust with flour, tapping out any excess.

Mix Dry Ingredients: 4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

Cream Butter and Sugar: 5. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 1 minute until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add Eggs: 6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds per egg). The mixture should look smooth and cohesive. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Combine Wet Ingredients: 7. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the strawberry puree and buttermilk, stirring gently to mix.

Alternate Dry and Wet: 8. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the strawberry-buttermilk mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix each addition just until incorporated – do not overmix. The batter should be smooth and slightly thick, with a beautiful pink color.

Bake: 9. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (use a kitchen scale for accuracy if desired – each pan should have about 24-26 ounces of batter). Smooth the tops with a spatula. Tap the pans gently on the counter 2-3 times to release air bubbles.

10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The cakes should spring back when lightly pressed and start to pull away from the sides of the pans.

Cool: 11. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then carefully invert onto wire racks, peel off the parchment paper, and let cool completely before frosting (about 1-2 hours).

Make the Frosting: 12. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low speed initially then increasing to medium. Add vanilla extract and salt, then beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. If making strawberry frosting, add the ¼ cup strawberry puree and beat until combined.

Assemble: 13. Place one cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spread about 1 to 1½ cups of frosting evenly over the top. Place the second layer on top and press down gently. Apply a thin crumb coat (thin layer of frosting) all over the cake and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. Then apply the remaining frosting, creating swirls or keeping it smooth as desired.

Decorate: 14. Garnish with fresh strawberries on top. Slice fresh strawberries in half and arrange them in a circle, or get creative with your presentation. Refrigerate until ready to serve.