Strawberry Cake with Cream cheese frosting

                                           

 

            We had plenty of strawberries from the market and they were so ripe that they couldn't be stored for long. Apart from giving to the kids to munch, I had to do something about them, fast. It nagged me that it has been a long time since I made a real frosted cake. In fact I hadn't even used the turn table and offset spatula which Mr. KB gifted me last year. He had begun throwing comments into the air that there was no sign of any cake nor of his presents anywhere. And the elder boy was always complaining that I don't make him cakes as I used to be.. So I decided to give it a go as I couldn't tarnish my image with a few jibes of the males in the family; if I could help it. I was going to prove that after all it's just a piece of cake ;)

                 When I suggested strawberry cake, the son was more than happy. He loves frosted cakes like anything and he loves strawberries too. Often we get him frosted cakes from the nearby confectionery and when he is told that the cakes at the confectioneries are not good,he would reply, "Then you better make them at home because I'm gonna need them very often". So I knew I wouldn't be able to get way without baking cakes for them for long...

                Of course Mr.KB's presents were a great help. If you have the necessary stuff, frosting cake is a cake walk. I really enjoyed doing it this time unlike older times when I would start sweating over just the thought of frosting a real cake. I made a medium cake, cut it into three equal layers with a long serrated knife (which comes really handy while layering a cake) and frosted with cream cheese..

                   It's better not to mention the fights between the boys to lick the spatula in between frosting! Well, I must warn all mothers with little kids around, who plans to frost a cake. This is the most common technical difficulty you are going to encounter while frosting a cake!!

                The boys were somewhat pacified by the promise that the spatula would be given to one and the bowl to the other, to lick ;after I am done with frosting.

            And you are not actually human if you don't dip your finger in the bowl of cream cheese yourself and  put it in your mouth at least once while you frost the cake !! So you get the other technical difficulties!! Keep these in mind and you shall frost your cake with great zeal...Good luck ;)

Strawberry Cake with Cream cheese frosting:

For the cake:

1 and 1/2 cups sifted white flour

1 cup powdered white sugar

1/2 packet(1 and 1/2 ounce) strawberry  flavoured jelly powder

1/2  cup (100 g) butter softened

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup whole milk at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup strawberry puree (made from frozen sweetened strawberries)

For cream cheese frosting:

1/4 cup (50g)butter, at room temperature

120g Philly cream cheese(1/2 pkg),at room temp

1 - 1 and 1/2 cups of icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Process:

Make the cake

• Preheat oven to 170 degree C(350 degree F). Grease and flour a 3*7 inch round cake pan.
• Sift together flour and baking powder into a bowl.
• Beat together butter, sugar and strawberry gelatin in another bowl until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Stir in flour and baking powder into the batter alternately with milk.
• Blend in vanilla extract and strawberry puree until well combined. Do not over mix.
• Transfer the batter into prepared baking pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then  transfer to a wire wrack to cool completely.

Make the frosting:

• Mix butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer about 3 minutes on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl in between to ensure uniform mixing.
• Add vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add icing sugar. Keep adding until you get the desired sweetness and thickness.

Assembling:

         Slice the cooled cake into three equal layers with a long serrated knife.

 

         Remove any crumbs and uneven surfaces.

         Place one layer of cake on the turn table and spread a thin layer of frosting over it.

 

         Place another layer of cake over it and do the same.

         Then place the third layer on top of it and spread the remaining cream all over the cake and level with an offset spatula.

 

 

Decorate with sliced strawberries around the cake and top with a few fresh strawberries.
         Refrigerate for 1/2 an hour before serving.

Enjoy!