Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sliced strawberries
• 10 oz. all purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk or sour milk (1 Tablespoon white vinegar with enough low-fat milk added to equal 1 cup)
• 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 12 whole strawberries

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°.

2. 2

   To prepare the cake, place sliced strawberries in a food processor. Process until smooth.

3. 3

   p id=”instruction-step-3″>3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, stirring with a whisk to remove any lumps. <

4. 4

   id=”instruction-step-4″>4. Place softened butter and sugar in a mixer bowl or large bowl and beat at medium speed until well blended. <

5. 5

   id=”instruction-step-5″>6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg whites.

6. 6

   id=”instruction-step-6″>7. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter/sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour.

7. 7

   id=”instruction-step-7″>8. Add pureed strawberries and food coloring. Beat until just blended.

8. 8

   d=”instruction-step-8″>9. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray, and parchment rounds if you have them (makes for easy removal).

9. 9

   d=”instruction-step-9″>10. Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans.

10. 10

    d=”instruction-step-10″>11. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

11. 11

    instruction-step-12″>1. Beat together the butter, cream cheese, and Grand Marnier on medium speed until blended.

12. 12

    struction-step-14″>1. Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting.

13. 13

    truction-step-15″>2. Top with the remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

14. 14

    ruction-step-16″>3. Cut one strawberry into thin slices, cutting to, but not through, the stem end. Fan strawberry on top of cake just before serving.

15. 15

    uction-step-17″>4. For a beautiful presentation, cut the remaining 11 strawberries in half, leaving the stems on. Garnish the cake by pressing in strawberry halves around the base of the cake.