Strawberry Vanilla Cake Food

STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Butter and line the bases of three 18cm cake tins. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Blend the butter and sugar in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, flour and yogurt and blend again. Add 200g strawberries (save the best ones to decorate) and the vanilla. Blend once more, until the mixture is well combined.
• Divide the cake batter evenly between the three cake tins. Spread and smooth the tops with a spatula, then bake for 25-30 mins, until the cakes have risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Return to the oven for another 5 mins if any wet mixture clings to the skewer. Leave in the tins for 5 mins, then turn onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. The cakes can be made up to two days before icing, or frozen for two months.
• For the icing, blend the butter and half the sugar until smooth and creamy, add the soft cheese and the remaining sugar and blend again. Be careful not to over mix as the icing will become runny. (If you do overmix, don't worry - keep mixing with an electric whisk and it'll thicken back up).
• Layer the cakes with the jam and half the icing. Invert the final cake on top, so the base of the cake it now the top, giving you a flat surface. Pile the rest of the icing on top of the cake, using a palette knife to spread the icing over the top and down the sides. Save a little icing to pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake, if you like. Top with the remaining strawberries. Can be made up to a day ahead of serving, keep somewhere cool or in the fridge. Will keep for three days.

CLASSIC STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch-round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Make the cake: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the melted butter, vanilla bean paste, eggs, milk and lemon zest in a medium bowl until just smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out of the pan onto the rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the toppings and filling: Halve 16 strawberries. Whisk 1 tablespoon water and the strawberry jelly in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the halved strawberries and toss to coat; set aside. Thinly slice the remaining strawberries, then toss with 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in another medium bowl; set aside. Beat the heavy cream, the remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to assemble. Carefully cut the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half cut-side up on a platter. Drizzle the juices from the sliced berries over the cut sides of both cake halves. Fold a few tablespoons of the whipped cream into the sliced berries; spoon over the bottom cake layer. Cover with the other cake layer, then top with the remaining whipped cream. Top with the halved strawberries and their juices. Photograph by Anna Williams

VANILLA CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• For the frosting, use the electric mixer to beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl. Beat in sugar, then jam. Beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into frosting. Cover; chill until firm enough to spread, about 2 hours.
• Cake:.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Butter and flour 2 or 3 9-inch cake pans with 2 inch high sides. Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sour cream, beat 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in three additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
• Bake until tester comes out clean. About 45- 50 minutes. Cool cakes in pan for 15 minutes and then loosen with knife and turn onto rack to cool completely.
• Using a large serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one cake, cut side up, on cake plate. Spread 2 tablespoons strawberry jam over ( I like to warm it slightly in microwave and add some boiling water so I can brush it on the cake), then 3/4 cup frosting, and 3/4 cup sliced berries, arranging in a single layer.
• Repeat this 2 more times with each layer of cake.
• Spread 2 cups frosting on top of cake and over sides of cake.
• Optional, spread remaining jam (room temp) on top and sides of cake (swirl).
• Cut cake into wedges and top with remaining strawberries.