Decadent Vanilla Layered Cake with Strawberry Frosting

Last month two events took place in my life. Two events which I had never experienced before.  One being that I turned 39 and the second was that I made myself a birthday cake.  Yup, that's right I am now 39 years of age. Simply amazing how that happens I tell ya!  And yes, this year was the very first year in my whole 39 years of life that I actually made myself a birthday cake.  I couldn't help it! - I came across the recipe for this cake and and just had to make it.

   It had ALL my favorite ingredients in it....such as, strawberries, butter, sour cream, heavy cream, lots of vanilla extract, cream cheese, seedless strawberry jam and lots more strawberries.  Definitely a cake that you have to make once a year as it is just decadent in taste, texture and sight.

  I adore strawberries.  I am passionate about strawberries. I also seriously adore layered cakes.  Layered cakes are meant for birthdays in my book. 

Honestly, baking this cake for myself was one of the best parts of my birthday celebration.  It allowed me to review and cherish the memories, my own personal growth along with all the treasured adventures I have had over the past year as I mixed up the batter, baked the cake and then assembled it all together. I have promised myself to make every attempt for my future birthdays to continue such a tradition.

Decadent Vanilla Layered Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

(recipe from the lovely and oh-so brilliant Perry's Plate)

Frosting Ingredients:

2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Cake Ingredients:

3 cups cake flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

7 large eggs

2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

6 Tbsp plus 1/3 cup seedless strawberry jam

2 lbs strawberries, hulled, sliced (about 6 cups)

Frosting Directions:

 Beat cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl until smooth.  Beat in sugar and then the jam - set aside.   Beat heavy cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture. Cover and chill for a couple of hours until it's firm enough to spread.

Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9" cake pans.  Lining bottom of pans with parchment paper wouldn't hurt either. 

2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda - set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each additon.  Beat in vanilla extract. Add in sour cream and then beat for 30 seconds.

4. Add in flour mixture in three addtions, beating to blend after each addition.  Divide batter into prepared pans.

5. Bake cake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove cakes from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.

6. Once the cakes are fully cooled cut each one in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Spread 2 Tbsp's of jam and then 3/4 of frosting on bottom layer.  Then arrange 3/4 cup of sliced strawberries on top of frosting in a single layer and then top with another cake layer.  Repeat two more times with cake layers, jam, frosting and strawberries. Top with last cake layer and frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Such a magical cake.  A very yummy magical cake.

Not the most perfect picture of the cake...but as you can see it is just delicious in every possible way.  And such a perfectly decadent birthday cake! Happy Birthday to me.

Happy Decadent Vanilla Layer Cake with Strawberry Frosting Baking!