Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with a strip of parchment paper. Allow the paper to cover the bottom and the two longest sides of the pan with some paper overhang for easy removal.

Combine 3 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Lightly puree 2 cups of whole strawberries in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, just mash them with a fork.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups of pureed strawberries, 1/2 cup of room-temperature milk and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 sticks of room-temperature unsalted butter. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute. Reduce the speed and gradually add the 2 cups of sugar and cream together for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Be sure to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add two room-temperature eggs one at a time and mix until just incorporated. Then add 1/2 cup of sourdough discard and mix until combined.

Add the flour mixture a little at a time alternating with the strawberry puree. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix together on low speed for 1-2 minutes.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly, and bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes. Stick a toothpick in the center of the cake and make sure it comes out clean.

Make sure the cake cools completely on a wire rack before frosting. If you want to remove it from the pan, make sure you refrigerate it for an hour before doing so.

Add freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor or blender and pulse until powder. Then sift it through a fine mesh sieve to remove the larger pieces.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat 2 sticks of softened butter for about 2 minutes on a medium speed. Add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of freeze-dried strawberries, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix on low until the powdered sugar is mixed in and then at medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Then add the pureed strawberries one tablespoon at a time. You may not need the full 1/4 cup. Mix on low until incorporated. You want the frosting to be thin enough to spread but not watery.

Once the cake is completely cooled, you have two options. You can frost it while it’s still in the pan or you can use the parchment paper to carefully remove the cake so that you can then frost and slice to serve.

The most popular option is to keep it in the pan, frost it, and store it at room temperature. Just cover the top with a lid or plastic wrap.

When making the cake for parties or special occasions, I like to refrigerate it for at least an hour and then remove it from the pan and frost. Simply lift the cake from the pan using the parchment paper, place it on a flat surface, and frost! Add fresh berries to the top of the cake as a beautiful garnish.