Fresh Strawberry Cake

Celebrate summer's arrival with fresh strawberries and billows of cream on this moist cake. For a quick batch of fresh strawberry preserves: Cook 2 pounds strawberries and 4 cups sugar for about an hour over medium-low heat to a thick syrup consistency.

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup strawberry preserves
4 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon red food coloring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled 

PREPARATION
1. Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees 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 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl using a mixer set at medium-high speed. Add 3/4 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. 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.

2. 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.

Posted in: desserts