Strawberry Crunch Cake

Steps

Step1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour and line bottoms with parchment.

Step2

Whisk together flour, gelatin, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.

Step3

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed and scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until just combined. Beat in vanilla.

Step4

Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Step5

Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Step6

Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove cakes from pans and cool completely on a wire rack, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Step7

For the frosting, add butter and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Step8

Gradually add powdered sugar, alternately with cream, beating on low speed until completely incorporated and smooth. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step9

For the crumble, place cookies, strawberries, and salt in a food processor and pulse until slightly chunky (bits of strawberry and cookie should still be visible), about 12 pulses. Drizzle in butter and pulse about 5 times to combine.

Step10

Trim tops of cakes with a serrated knife if needed to make flat on top.

Step11

Place 1 cake layer on serving platter; spread evenly with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer.

Step12

Spread top and sides of cake with the remaining frosting.

Step13

Sprinkle Crumble over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere until completely covered. Chill cake for 1 hour before slicing.