- 90 mins
- 90 mins
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 6 large egg whites, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- STRAWBERRY FROSTING:
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 2 strawberries, finely chopped ( equals about 2 cups chopped strawberries)
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the cake, preheat oven to 350. Combine the sugar, baking powder, salt and flour in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the egg whites, vanilla and milk. Cut the butter into small squares and add to bowl with the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until the mixture looks "sandy" and butter is completely combined with the flour. Slowly add in the egg mixture and beat until batter is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scrapping down the bowl with a spatula after 1/5 min. Grease two 9" cake pans or three 8" cake pans with cooking spray. Place a parchment circle on the bottom of each pan. Pour batter into pans and bake 18-22 min for 8" pans or 20-25 min for 9" pans, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the rounds. Cool cakes completely (I cool mine on a cooling rack in the refrigerator for 45 mins.
FROSTING:
In your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand held mixer) beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside, preferably in the fridge. (If you have two bowls for your stand mixer, leave it in the bowl, if not transfer to another bowl before placing in the fridge)
Fit the paddle attachment on your mixer and beat cream cheese on high until light and fluffy, scraping the sides a couple of times. Add the vanilla and sugar and beat on medium until fully incorporated.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold in the whipped cream and chopped berries with a spatula until well combined.
ASSEMBLY:
Place the first cake layer on your serving platter and frost just the top with the strawberry frosting (about 1/2" or so thick). Repeat with the next two layers, then frost the sides with an offset spatula (the long and skinny kind). Smooth tope and sides until even, then top with sliced strawberries for garnish, if desired.