June is always a celebratory month for my family, but this has been an especially joyous one. There were three birthdays, a high school graduation, and a surprise visit from my brother who currently lives in London!
And when there is reason to party, there is reason to bake.
My mother and I baked two cakes and 24 cupcakes and prepared one trifle for our Saturday celebration. The traditional chocolate cake was a hit, as was this seasonal strawberry shortcake cake.
As the juicy berries soak into the cake, it becomes sweet and moist. And the simple four-ingredient icing is decadent, but not overwhelming.
So if you're looking for an excuse to buy another pint of this season's strawberries, I suggest you break out the stand mixer, bake a cake, and throw a party!
Ingredients for Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
9 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
Ingredients for Icing
1/2 lb cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb local strawberries
Directions
(Important Note: Use a cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep. Before baking, the batter should not fill the pan more than halfway.)
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch.
Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.
Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove cake from pan immediately, and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Stem and slice strawberries. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.
For icing: Combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and a dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy.
Slice cooled cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), including all juices. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minutes to make icing easier.
Remove cakes from freezer. Use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top layer. Then spread the rest of it around the sides.
Garnish with more strawberries and serve slightly cool. (For best results, store in the fridge!)
Source
The Pioneer Woman Cooks
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