VANILLA CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• 1. FOR CAKE: Prepare two 9-in cake pans with a coating of butter and flour; set aside.
• 2. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and powder; set aside. In a separate, larger bowl, cream together your sugar and butter. You want it to reach a light, fluffy consistency. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and combine well. Next, do the same with your sour cream. Finally, beat in your flour mixture, 1/3 at a time. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
• 3. Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes. Loosen cake from pan by carefully running the edge of a knife around the pan. Turn out onto a cooling rack; let cool completely.
• 4. FOR FROSTING: Chill a medium bowl in the freezer. Meanwhile, beat together your cream cheese and butter until completely smooth. Add in sugar and jam, beting until well combined. Beat in sugar, then jam.
• 5. Remove bowl from freezer, pour in cream and beat until peaks form. (Whipped cream!) Fold into cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill until spreadable - will take a few hours.
• 6. ASSEMBLY: Once cake is thoroughly cool, use a serrated knife to carefully cut each cake round in half, horizontally.
• 7. Place once half onto your serving platter, cake side down. Start layering on your filling, beginning with a smear of 3 tablespoons of jam. Follow that by spreading on 3/4 cup of your frosting and finally 3/4 cup of the sliced berries (make a single layer of the berries, don't just toss them on.) Repeat this process two more times with cake layer, jam, frosting, and strawberries.
• 8. When you reach the top cake layer, you're nearly done! Frost the outside of the entire cake with a thin layer of icing, about 2 cups worth. This is your crumb coat. Use the remaining icing to thoroughly frost the cake and make it pretty. We took the suggestion of swirling the remaining strawberry jam over the iced cake... so pretty!