Pioneer Woman does it again!

As usual, we were watching The Pioneer Woman on a Saturday morning over coffee and breakfast. It was an episode where they're celebrating a birthday, and the cake she was making called our names loud and clear: Strawberry Shortcake Cake. 

Easter was coming up, after all, and we had volunteered to bring dessert, so what better timing can there be? This is definitely a keeper. It looks more complicated than it is, and was delicious, full of fresh flavor from the strawberries. I wouldn't change a thing; Ree Drummond knows what she's doing! I didn't use quite all of the icing, but that's just personal preference. Hope you enjoy it!

First, the shortcake:

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups plus two tablespoons sugar
3 whole large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, plus more to garnish
 
Special note: Use 8-inch cake pan that's at least 2-inches deep! Before baking, the batter should not fill the pan more than halfway.

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan.

Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. In stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with 1 1/2 cups of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until no longer jiggly like my bottom, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven. Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.

Stem the strawberries and mash them. Sprinkle the strawberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Now, ingredients for the icing:

1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Salt

Combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy.

Slice the cake in half to make two smaller cakes. Spread the strawberries evenly over each cut side of cake, pouring on all the juices as well. Place the cake halves into the freezer for 5 minutes, just to make icing the cake easier.

Remove the cake halves from the freezer. Use a little less than one-third of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer of cake on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top spreading evenly, then spread the remaining icing around the sides.

Leave plain or garnish with strawberry halves, serve slightly cool.



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