Sweets: Strawberry & Cream Cake

Last May I was fortunate enough to have my mama visiting for Mother's Day.  I had never made my mama a cake before so I really wanted to impress her.  Since she isn't fond of chocolate I opted for a strawberry one instead.  

Strawberry & Cream Cheese Cake

Adapted fromm Cooks Illustrated, Billy Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes , and Cupcake Project

1.) Cake adapted from Billy Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease 9x2 pan with cake releaser and set aside.
• Mix dry ingredients with butter on low speed in medium bowl.
• Whisk together wet ingredients in separate bowl.
• Mix dry and wet ingredients together in 3 parts on medium speed.
• Scrape sides of bowl and continue mixing without over beating.
• Pour batter into pan.
• Bake for about 30 minutes. (Oven times vary)

Here's a video that might help you out. 

I made two batches of this recipe and made two cakes, which I split into 4 layers once it was cooled.  I used a leveler to make straight cuts.   Set aside to cool.

2.) Filling adapted from Cupcake Project

The Cooks Illustrated recipe asked for a strawberry filling that looked well but it wasn't what I was dreaming of for this specific cake.  I've used that recipe for this cheesecake but for this cake I opted for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whipping cream (Heavy Cream)
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 4 Tbls of processed strawberries (Washed them, take the stems off and blended them.)

Instructions

• Whip heavy cream.
• Add sugar to whipped cream.
• Mix in strawberries into whipped cream until it's combined.

3.) Frosting adapted from Cooks Illustrated

I finally decided that I need to use something from the original recipe.  A cream cheese frosting is exactly what this cake needed.

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp of salt
• 2 cups of heavy cream

Instructions

• Whisk together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.  
• Slowly mix in heavy cream into mixture and slowly increase speed to medium-high until stiff peaks begin to form.  
• It should make about 4 1/2 cups.  

4.) Put cake together

• Take 1st layer of cake and put enough filling on top to cover the cake without going over the sides.
• Repeat step 2 more times.
• Frost cake with a crumb coat first.

5.) Decorate cake

• Once the crumb coat is set frost the entire cake.
• Even out the frosting with a long knife.
• Place shredded almonds on bottom part of cake.
• Cut strawberries into halves and place all around the top of cake.
• Cut strawberries into roses and place around the serving tray.

My mom loved her cake very much and I loved that she was proud of my baking abilities.  This cake is not overwhelmingly sweet and the effort to make it is well worth it.