Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting

I just found this post half-written. I thought I lost these pictures, with the rest of mine on my computer a few months ago. Woohoo! This is a great summer cake. I have only made it once, but my sister makes it often now and even brought it camping. It is scrumptiously delicious.


This cake was so delicious and beautiful and fun to make. I got the recipe from Bon Appetit, May 2009. They don't always have the recipes online and this one is not, so you should be grateful I am sharing it.

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting

Frosting
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 c butter
4 c powdered sugar
1/2 c strawberry jam
3/4 c heavy whipping cream

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar then jam. Beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold in whipped cream into frosting. Cover, chill until firm enough to spread, about 2 hours.

Cake
3 c cake flour (I've read you can use 7/8 part all purpose flour and 1/8 part cornstarch)
3/4 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
3 c sugar
1 c butter, room temp
7 large eggs
2 T vanilla
1 c sour cream
6 T plus 1/3 c strawberry jam (I used homemade)
2 1/4 lbs. strawberries, hulled, sliced and divided

Preheat oven to 325. Butter and flour (or use pam) two 9-inch cake pans with 2 inch high sides. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder and soda in a medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add sour cream, beat 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in three additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter between pans.
Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in pans on racks for 10 minutes. Turn out of pans and cool completely.

Assembly
Using serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one half, cut side up, on a cake plate. Spread 2 T jam over, then 3/4 c frosting. Top with 3/4 c sliced berries. Repeat two more times. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread 2 c frosting over tops and sides in a thin layer to coat completely. Spread remaining frosting over tops and sides. Spoon remaining jam on cake and swirl decoratively.


I always worry about layer cakes, because mine never seem to turn out very well. This one, thanks to the help from Eliza and tips from the magazine on how to perfect layer cakes, actually turned out prettier than I had hoped for. There was no picture in the magazine for me to work from, but I just followed the instructions and wa-la!

What I liked about this dessert is everything, but specifically I loved-

• The moist pound cake with simple vanilla flavor, lots of eggs and butter equal delicious cake.
• The frosting. It was full of strawberry flavor and had a nice fluffy texture, thanks to the whipped cream folded in.
• The fresh strawberries in each layer added some extra strawberry yumminess and a wonderful bite.
• It was beautiful and the tips really helped me make my first successful layer cake.

Sorry about the poor pictures. I took most of them at my parent's house, and I don't like their lighting.