Strawberry Preserves Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

So it was my birthday a couple of weeks ago.  I'm gonna be honest, it was a rough one.  First, it was an age that I wasn't really looking forward to turning. (Vain, I know. I'm a work in progress.)  My kids and I were all super sick.  I had to clean my house because I had company coming the next day.  My husband was going to take me out to eat but we were all to sick to even get out.  No cake, no candles, nada.  I know, poor pitiful me.  This is how I envisioned my birthday going down:

It went down more like this:

However, I decided I was not going to have a pity party. (Well, I had a small one that only lasted a little while. There wasn't even music or anything.)  God has richly blessed me!  I have a really wonderful husband that still thinks I'm beautiful even though I have a few more wrinkles then last year, 3 precious kids, my health, my salvation, I have a great life.  I get to look at these faces everyday:

But a girl still wants her cake.  So when I was feeling better I made myself one of my favorite cakes of all time.  Strawberry Preserves Cake.  Fluffy, tender layers of sweet strawberry cake wrapped up in rich, creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting.  It is so yummy!  The nice thing about this cake is it can be made even when strawberries aren't in season and right now you can use your fresh strawberry jam from Summer's bounty.  Plus, it's pink.  That warms a girls heart, even if the girl isn't really a "girl" anymore. =)


Ingredients:


2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup strawberry preserves
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
Strawberry- Cream-Cheese Frosting


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottoms of 2 (9-inch) cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly coat each pan with baking spray; set aside. 



In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer for approximately 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add preserves and then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl and add vanilla extract and enough food coloring to achieve desired color.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture. Divide batter equally between prepared pans and spread evenly.
Bake on the middle rack of oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack in pans for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and let cool completely. 


Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:


1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened 
1/4 cup strawberry preserves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-5 cups powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 pinch of salt


Directions:


In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add strawberry preserves and vanilla, beating until well combined. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt, beating until smooth.  Spread icing between layers and on top and sides of cake.

I'm linked up at:
http://33shadesofgreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/tasty-tuesdays-zucchini-fritters-with.html
http://www.somethingswanky.com/2011/08/sweet-treats-thursday-and-uprint.html
http://www.blessedwithgrace.net/2011/08/tempt-my-tummy-tuesday-shrimp-and-tortellini-salad-with-balsamic-vinaigrette/
http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/2011/08/full-plate-thursday-9-1-11.html
http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2011/08/turning-the-table-thursday-13/
http://mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/2011/08/your-whims-wednesday-22-and-features.html
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/2011/08/show-and-tell-linking-party-7.html
http://gingersnapcrafts.blogspot.com/
http://cookiesxo.blogspot.com/
http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/
http://www.larkscountryheart.com/
http://www.pinchofthisthatandtheother.blogspot.com/
http://thischickcooks.blogspot.com/
http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/
http://alliemakes.blogspot.com/
http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.alli-n-son.com/2011/09/01/peanut-butter-caramel-sauce/
http://mangoesandchutney.com/2011/09/fat-camp-friday-43-starbucks-mocha-coconut.html
http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/

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