To celebrate last weekend, I baked a Strawberry Cream Vanilla Cake for a family gathering. My two younger daughters, Kate and Molly both returned home after being out of the country for long periods of time. Molly spent the summer interning at Harmony Hotel in Costa Rica and Kate has been living in Europe earning a master's degree.
A few weeks ago, when my niece Hannah was visiting, we baked the above mentioned cake while Molly watched us via Skype - sort of like she was right there with us! The big disadvantage for her was that she couldn't taste the cake - she felt she was missing out big time and really wanted me to make it for her homecoming. Kate's request was simpler - barbequed chicken legs.
I decided to bake the cake and make the frosting on Saturday. I wrapped the cake in waxed paper and refrigerated it along with the container of frosting. On Sunday all I needed to do was the assembling. This is a lovely cake for a birthday or anytime when you need many servings. Each layer is cut horizonally, so it is a four layer cake.
Below you will find the recipe followed by photos of the assembly and slicing. I hope these make it simple for you to whip up this impressive cake!
Enjoy -- and let me know how it goes. :)
STRAWBERRY CREAM VANILLA CAKE
Frosting
- 1 cup butter
- 2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam
- 3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Cake
- 3 cups cake flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 7 eggs
- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 9 Tbsp seedless strawberry jam
- 1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 3 cups)
Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar. Then jam. Beat cream in a separate bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into frosting. Cover; chill until firm enough to spread, at least 2 hours.
Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray. Sift flour, salt, baking powder & baking soda. Set aside. Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in vanilla and sour cream, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter between cake pans.
Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean - about 50 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
Using a large serrated knife, cut each cake horizonally in half. Place 1 cake half, cut side up, on cake plate. Spread 3 Tbsp. strawberry jam over, then 3/4 cup frosting. Top with 3/4 cup sliced berries, arranging in single layer. Repeat 2 more times with cake layer, jam, frosting and berries. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread 2 cups frosting over top and sides of cake. If desired, decorated with a few fresh strawberries.
Can be assembled and refrigerated 8 hours ahead.
To assemble, cut both cakes horizontally with a serrated knife. I like to put strips of wax paper under the cake, to keep the serving plate clean while frosting the cake.
Jam, frosting, and sliced strawberries result in a lovely and delicious filling for each of the first three layers -- cut side up.
The finished layers.
The top layer is placed cut side down. Frost the tops and sides of cake. It was very hot on Sunday so I had to work fast!
The cake is very tall -- what an impressive presentation! (If I do say so myself...)
The finished Kate - topped with a pair of fresh strawberries.
Kate and Molly posing with the cake!
It is best to use a wedding cake cut for a cake this size. Cut down the center, then in slices, then cut the slices in half. You will end up with 16-18 servings.
A couple tips: Use the best quality seedless strawberry jam you can find, it really makes a difference. Don't be tempted to use low fat dairy products - go with the real deal - there is butter (1 lb!), sour cream, cream cheese, and cream in this cake. You won't make it often, so enjoy the full flavor.
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