STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CAKE

Right in time for Mother’s Day, I’ve got you covered for dessert 🙂 This strawberry cake is relatively simple to make (no worrying about different pans and layering cakes with frosting in between), moist and flavorful, packed with strawberries, and it’s beautiful! And after your mom goes crazy over this cake, then you’ll want to use this recipe for all kinds of occasions – a baby shower (for a girl), a pink-themed party, a gorgeous Spring/Summer cake…there are so many times when you’ll need a delicious-from-scratch pink strawberry cake!

I call this a strawberries and cream cake because it’s got a delicious strawberry cake base and then a perfect cream cheese frosting to top it all off making it a “strawberry and cream” flavored dessert. I’ve talked a lot about making the cake, so let’s quickly cover that cream cheese frosting. The most important thing for the cream cheese frosting is to make sure the cream cheese and the butter are both at room temperature. This will give you the perfect smooth and creamy base for the frosting. You don’t want the cream cheese or butter melted, microwaved, or softened. They should both at the same room temperature for best results.

Ingredients
Strawberry Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups + 3 tablespoons white flour
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons strawberry jell-o mix, dry (not prepared)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (or milk mixed with lemon juice--check notes)
• Optional: 3-4 drops red food coloring
• 2/3 cup finely diced fresh strawberries

Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 package (8 ounces) full-fat cream cheese at room temperature, don't use low fat
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (OR 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
• 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency; I usually use 3 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Topping
• 1 and 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons white granulated sugar

Instructions
Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan and set aside.
2. Beat the room temperature butter with hand mixers until light and creamy. Slowly add in the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs and then add to the butter mixture and mix. Add in the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Beat in the buttermilk. If desired, add in the red food coloring here too and mix that in.
4. ..............................

for full recipes please see : www.chelseasmessyapron.com

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