Strawberry-Laced Vanilla Cake

Last year I was given a year subscription of American Cake Decorating magazine as a Christmas gift by SIL and BIL.Mostly all the cake recipe in the magazine used cake flour.I want to try out the recipe but can't find cake flour in any of our regular market.But last week when I was shopping at a new reface Wal-mart I saw cake flour on their baking shelf.I was excited and quickly grab a box of the cake flour.Con-incidentally Sunday was MIL birthday and I took this opportunity to bake a birthday cake for her using cake flour.I adapted the recipe from the cake flour box and adjust the quality and flavour to suit what I had.This cake texture is really soft and moist..Too bad the weather is quite hot and humid,the icing was slightly melted..

Ingredients:

2 cups cake flour

2/3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter.softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp clear vanilla

3 large eggs

1 cup strawberry jam



Strawberry Cream Frosting:

2 cups butter,at room temperature

1 tsp clear vanilla

2 lbs powdered sugar,about 7 1/2 cups

1 cup strawberry jam

some berries for decoration

some pearl sprinkle for decoration



Yield 12-15 serving.

Method:

1:Preheat oven to 350F..Spray 2x 9 inch round cake pans generously with non-stick spray with flour

2:Sift cake flour,baking powder,salt and baking soda in a medium bowl,set aside.

3:Beat softened butter and sugar with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.Beat in flour mixture,milk,vanilla and eggs on medium speed until blended,scraping bowl occasionally.Beat 2 minutes or longer.Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

4:Bake 19 -23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.Cool 10 minutes,remove from pans to wire rack.Then cool completely before icing.

5:Beat room temperature butter and vanilla in mixer bowl in electric mixer until light and fluffy.Gradually add powdered sugar and strawberry jam.Blend until well combined.Place 1/2 cup frosting in a pastry bag fitted with # 2 or #4 tip for pipping.
decorated with blackberries
and blueberries
Level cake layers as necessary.Cut each cake horizontally to make 2 layers by marking the side of cake with toothpicks and cutting with along ,thin serrated knife.

Place 1 layer of side up on serving plate or tray:spread with 1/3 of strawberry jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge.Top with other half of layer,spread with strawberry frosting/icing.Repeat with remaining of layers.

Frost the side and top of the cake.Pipe the remaining frosting top of the cake level and top with your favourite berries and sprinkle.Refrigerate cake to set frosting.Allow cake to stand at room temperature 5-10 minutes before serving