Strawberry Layer Cake

 Ingredients:

• Oil or melted butter, for greasing
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• Generous ¾ cup superfine sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. milk

 Filling:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. strawberry jelly

 Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch round layer cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the butter, superfine sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat well until the batter is smooth, then stir in the milk. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth level. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until risen, firm and golden brown. Let cool in the pans for 2-3 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. For the filling, beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread this mixture on top of one of the cakes. Spread the bottom of the other cake with the jelly and then sandwich the two cakes together to enclose the filling, pressing down lightly. Dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Serves 6-8 

Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.

 THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.

www.thasc.com