CAKE RECIPE
1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
▢ 1 tsp baking powder 4g, heaping
▢ ¼ tsp baking soda 1g, heaping
▢ ¼ tsp kosher salt 1g, heaping
▢ ¾ cup butter 170g unsalted, room temperature or melted
▢ ¼ cup whole milk warm
▢ ¼ cup strawberry preserves
▢ ½ cup sour cream room temperature
▢ 1 tbsp vanilla extract
▢ 3 egg whites large
▢ 3/5 cup fresh strawberries chopped (optional)
▢ 1 tbsp lemon zest
▢ pink food coloring
FROSTING RECIPE
▢ 1 lb confectioners sugar,
▢ 1 cup or 2 sticks butter room temperature OR slightly melted
▢ 1 tbsp strawberry preserve
▢ 1/4 tsp kosher salt heaping
▢ Red food coloring
▢ Baby strawberries sliced for topping garnish
Instructions
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
Zest a lemon.
Sift dry ingredients (including sugar). Whisk to combine.
In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (including lemon zest).
Combine wet and dry mixtures. Whisk until combined. Add a few drops of pink food coloring until you reach a desired consistency. If you're adding fresh strawberries then fold into the batter now.
Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake for about 30 - 38 minutes or until the centers are set and springy to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean.
Leave the layers to cool in the pans for about 4 minutes, then dump out onto cooling racks.
For Buttercream:
In a stand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy.
Sift in half of the confectioners sugar. Mix, then add the rest. Add salt.
Add in 1 tbsp of strawberry preserves to the batch. Mix until combined.
Add a drop of base red food coloring.
Add lemon juice to frosting until combined
spread frosting in between each layer. Fill in gaps on the outside of cake. Smooth out with a bench scraper or offset spatula
top with sliced strawberries
Chill in the fridge.
