Vanilla Layer Cake with Strawberries and Cream
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 509
- Total Fat
- 26
- Saturated Fat
- 16
- Carbohydrates
- 65
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 45
- Protein
- 7
- Cholesterol
- 118
- Sodium
- 286
- Total: 1 hr 25 min (plus cooling)
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
For the Cake:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
For the Toppings and Filling:
1 1/2 quarts strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon strawberry jelly
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ̊ F. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, vanilla bean paste, eggs, milk and lemon zest until smooth. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out of the pan onto the rack and let cool completely.
- Make the toppings and filling: Halve 16 strawberries. Whisk the strawberry jelly and water in a bowl until smooth. Add the halved strawberries; toss to coat.
- Thinly slice the remaining strawberries, then toss with 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and the lemon juice in another bowl; set aside. Beat the heavy cream, remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla extract in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to assemble.
- Carefully cut the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half cut-side up on a platter. Drizzle the juices from the thinly sliced berries over the cut sides of both cake halves. Fold a few tablespoons of the whipped cream into the sliced berries; spoon over the bottom cake layer. Cover with the other cake layer, then top with the remaining whipped cream and the halved strawberries and their juices.