Strawberry Buttercream Cake

By LoriCaputo

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 4 cups strawberries
• 2 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 lb. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

Grease 2 – 9 inch cake pans. Bake eggs at high speed until foamy. Slowly add the sugar, beating on high speed for 8 – 10 minutes, until the batter is pale and falls in ribbons. Beat in vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Sift 1/3 of the flour mix into the egg mixture and fold in. Repeat 2 times. Fold in the melted butter. Pour the batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes.

Seat aside 3 berries for garnish. Puree 2 cups of berries and halve the remaining berries. Pass the pureed berries through a sieve. Beat the egg whites, sugar, water and cream of tartar for 1 minute. Place bowl over hot water and beat for 7 minutes, until thick and fluffy. Remove from heat and beat until mixture cools to room temperature. Beat butter until soft and gradually beat into the white mix until thick. Blend in vanilla and gradually beat in the purees. Set aside 1 cup of the mix. Spread 1 cup of icing over the top of the 1st layer, arrange ½ the remaining berries on top. Add the 2nd layer and then ice the entire cake. Chill the cake 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.