Strawberry cake

In the US, strawberry cake often means a tender pink butter cake flavored with strawberry puree and topped with strawberry or cream cheese frosting. Cooking the puree down first concentrates the flavor without adding too much liquid. In Japan and much of Asia, strawberry cake usually means a light sponge filled and covered with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Fresh berries release juice, so they should be sliced, patted dry and added close to serving. Cakes with fresh fruit and whipped cream need to be kept in the refrigerator.