Fresh Strawberry Cake

For the Cake 3 cups cake flour (see note) 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 3 eggs ½ cup sour cream 2 Tbsp vanilla extract ¾ cup milk For the Strawberry Frosting 3 cups heavy cream 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 3 pints (~2 pounds) strawberries, stems and hulls removed

For the Cake Grease and flour 2 9” round cake pans; set aside. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well combined; set aside. Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add about ½ of the flour mixture to the bowl; mix on low speed until well combined.

Add the sour cream, vanilla, and approximately half of the milk to the bowl. Mix on low until well combined. Add the remaining flour mixture; mix on low until well combined. Add the remaining milk; mix on low until well combined. (Tip: Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are fully mixed.) Divide the batter evenly between the 2 cake pans. Bake at 325°F for 34-36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

For the Strawberry Frosting In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. (Make sure to beat until whipped cream is very stiff–stiffer than "normal"–but take care not to overbeat.) In the bowl of a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy. (Tip: Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice during this step.) Add the sugar and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until fully combined.

Meanwhile, chop about 3/4 of the strawberries into 1/3"-1/2" cubes. Add the chopped strawberries to the bowl and mix until fully combined. (Note: The frosting will turn pink; mix until frosting is uniform in color.) Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the whipped cream. Stir until well combined. To Assemble the Cake Place one layer of cake on a large plate.

Frost the top of the layer with Strawberry Frosting. Place the second layer of cake on top and frost the top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, frost the sides of the cake. (Note: It is helpful to refrigerate the frosting for about 20-30 minutes before frosting the sides of the cake.) Slice the remaining strawberries and garnish the top of the cake with the slices.

If you don’t have any cake flour on hand, you can substitute 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour and 2 Tbsp cornstarch for every 1 cup of cake flour. Sift the cornstarch and all-purpose flour together 2-3 times before using in the recipe.