Strawberry Shortcake

Well I finally made the decision and I bought 9-inch square cake pans.  Will the cake turn out large enough to feed my office is the question.  Hopefully it is, because there are two birthdays this week.  So, my first try at a two layer square cake is a strawberry shortcake: two layers of vanilla cake with  strawberry and whipped cream filling, topped with whipped cream.  The cakes were baked...then I realized that I don't own a container that will actually hold a two layer square cake...oops.  So, this cake is staying in the pan...hey maybe it will stay together better.  This cake turned out moist, slightly dense, but delicious.  The whipped cream helped to lighten things up, without being too sweet.  

This might just be a perfect summer cake or maybe a cake you just need to make when you want to remember summer days.  Those days that you don't ever want to end; that turn into starry nights with friends.  Well then again in DC its hard to have starry nights, sometimes you just have to imagine they are there.  So do that, imagine the stars are there and look for the moon cause its always there.   Oh and make this cake, it will make you happy and make you think of all of the strawberry shortcake you ate as a kid, which will make you smile.  And well smiling just makes you feel better, so enjoy! 

Oh so nice and golden brown.

Topped with whipped cream...

...then strawberries.

Whipped cream piped on to cake just to add a little something special.

Vanilla Cake: (recipe from Magnolia Bakery's vanilla cupcakes)

1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups self rising flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1.  Prep two 9-inch round or square cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and a parchment paper.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. 

3.  Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  Whisk in the vanilla extract and set aside.

4.  In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flours.

5.  Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. 

6.  Pour cake batter in to prepared cake pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool in pans for 10-15 minutes.  Then gently remove from pans and let finish cooling on a cooling rack.  Prep strawberries for filling.

Whipped  Cream with Strawberries:

2 cups heavy cream

8 ounces (1 cup) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 pints strawberries

1.  In a medium size mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together heavy cream, sugar and vanilla.  Start mixer on a lower speed and slowly increase the speed.  Mix until light peaks form.  Place whipped cream in the refrigerator until ready to be used.

2.  Slice 10-12 strawberries in 1/4 inch slices.

To assemble cake:

1.  Remove parchment paper from the bottom of one cake layer.  Place layer back in to one of the cake pans.  Top with a little over 1/2 of the whipped cream.

2.  Top whipped cream with a layer of strawberries.  Remove parchment paper from remaining cake layer  and place on top of strawberries and whipped cream.

3. Using a cake spatula or piping bag top cake with remaining whipped cream.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy!