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Fresh Strawberry Cake

Source of Recipe


Country Living magazine



List of Ingredients



• 2½ cups cake flour
  
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
  
• ¾ tsp salt
  
• ½ tsp baking soda
  
• ¾ cup butter, softened
  
• 1½ cups sugar
  
• 1 cup strawberry preserves
  
• 4 eggs
  
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/8 tsp red food coloring
  
• ½ cup buttermilk
  
• 1¾ cups heavy cream
  
• 1½ pints strawberries, hulled
  






Instructions



1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly coat the pan with butter, dust with flour, and tap out excess. Set aside.
   Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together and set aside. Cream the butter and 1½ cups sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl using a mixer set at medium-high speed. Add ¾ cup preserves and the eggs, one at a time, blending each addition thoroughly. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in vanilla extract and the food coloring. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with a final addition of the dry ingredients. Divide the batter equally between the pans and spread evenly.
   
   
2. Bake on the middle rack of oven until a tester inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
   
   
3. Assemble the cake:
   Beat the cream and remaining sugar to soft peaks and spread over the top of one layer. (Wrap and freeze the remaining layer for up to 2 months.) Top with strawberries and drizzle with remaining preserves. Serve immediately.
   
   Makes two 9-inch layers.
   
   






Final Comments


For a quick batch of fresh strawberry preserves:

Cook 2 pounds of strawberries and 4 cups sugar for about an hour over medium-low heat to a thick syrup consistency.