🍓 Layered Vanilla Cake with Strawberries

Chef notes

Classic vanilla cake with homemade buttercream and fresh strawberries on top. This is the one that got me into making cakes from scratch. Buttercream is pretty simple: butter, powdered sugar, a splash of cream. The strawberries on top make it look really professional even though it's not the hardest thing to do.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Powdered sugar
• Heavy cream
• Fresh strawberries

Recipe

1. 1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. 2.Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. 3.Beat butter on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and beat on high for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. 4.Reduce to medium speed and add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each. Add vanilla and mix on high until combined.
5. 5.On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches alternating with buttermilk. Fold in any remaining ingredients by hand.
6. 6.Divide batter evenly between the pans and bake about 30 minutes, until the edges pull away from the sides and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. 7.Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
8. 8.For the frosting: beat butter and salt on medium-high for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of cream between each addition. Add vanilla and beat on high for 1 minute.
9. 9.Spread 1 cup of frosting over the first cake layer, add the second layer, then cover the top and sides with the remaining buttercream.