Strawberry shortcake cake!

This is what you do when you're avoiding doing a big sink full of dishes!

A sweet strawberry cream cheese escape.

I've been dying for something delicious and strawberry for a few days. I was thinking of using a fresh strawberry cake recipe with chocolate cream cheese frosting & I was so torn I couldn't make up my mind. Eventually this won out because I basically had everything as a household staple for a cake. Get ready for one of the best cakes you'll ever eat, trust the cake lady...

I would also like to thank my beautiful, amazing mother for this because without her I would have never of had this fantastic idea. (She bought me an 8x8 pan that was perfect for this.) Love you momma!

Also beforehand... I would just like to mention that this is by far the best strawberry shortcake I've ever eaten.. (which is saying a lot.) & store it in the fridge overnight and all of the juices will soak in and it is amazing. You won't regret making it for a second.

Just know, there are a lot of options & alterations that can be made with this cake because I made the recipe myself. Don't worry, I'll tell you.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Cake~

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

(you can also make it with all all-purpose flour it would work just as well.)

3 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

9 tbsp butter (real butter)

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream plus 2 tbsp

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Icing~

1/2 lb cream cheese

(if you add another 3 tbsp it would be even better)

2 sticks butter

1 lb powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb strawberries

2 tbsp plain greek yogurt (also optional, but good!)

WHAT TO DO:

First stem all of your strawberries and cut them up, doesnt really matter how.
Place them in a bowl and add 1/4 cup sugar. (my sweet tooth added a little more.) stir it up and let them sit for 30 minutes, stir again. Squish them well, to a mush but I left a few chunks of strawberry, mostly for a good texture. Put a paper-towel over them and stir every ten minutes until you're ready to put them on the cake.

They should start to look something like this~

That is also before I mashed mine up.

Now it's cake time,

I used an 8x8 pan because it is much better for a thicker, taller, prettier cake & because my mom bought me one I've been dying to use!

Take out all your ingredients at least fifteen minutes before baking. Room temperature ingredients is ALWAYS better unless specified. While your at it get out the ingredients for the icing too!

Sift together your cake flour, baking soda, salt, all-purpose flour, and corn starch.

Make sure they are sifted well & set aside.

Then with the paddle attatchment on your mixer, (not neccessary just works much better.) cream 9 tbsp of butter with your sugar until light and fluffy. REAL BUTTER, DON'T FORGET.

Add the eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Add sour cream & vanilla.

I used mexican vanilla for this cake, gives it a much better flavor.

Then slowly add your dry ingredients and mix on a low speed.. or you're going to have flour covering every surface within five feet... but don't overmix your dry ingredients mix until just combined. Overmixing leads to a tough cake.

Should end up like the above.

Preheat oven at 350.

Pour into a well-greased 8 inch pan.

Flatten & smooth the top as much as you can with a spatula.

Now you're going to need one very cute baby, about 17.5 pounds of cute. That should be enough.

He may have tasted some of the icing.. who am I to tell him no delicious icing?!

Anyways, bake for 45-60 minutes. When the middle is no longer jiggly when you move the cake, it's done. Check with a tooth-pick for doneness, when it comes out clean, your golden.

Let me tell you a story about a woman who is against buying cooking spray... it's dumb. My husband and I stood over this done cake patting the bottom with a spatula for well over ten minutes.. because the middle wasn't greased well enough. Hmph. Anyways, the sides will be very brown, but it's not burnt don't worry!

While your cake it cooling on a cooling rack let's make icing!

Combine cream cheese, butter, sifted powdered sugar, yogurt, vanilla & a dash of salt. ( I like cream cheese icing that actually taste like cream cheese, but a little sweeter.)

Mix until very light and fluffy, like so~

Once your cake is completely cooled, cut it in half through the middle. I was always afraid of doing this but it's easy I just used the longest smoothest knife I had & cut and turned until I was back where I started. It's easy don't worry!

Should look like that, brush the loose crumbs off the top & eat them. Of course....

Then take out your bowl of delicious strawberries. Spread half of them on each side of cake. Pour the juices on, I promise it will make you a happier person in the end!

If some of them hang off the edge that's fine.

Then put them in the freezer for five minutes, trust me. It will help you ice those pesky strawberries.

Once you're done with that, take out your icing & spread icing OVER THE TOPS of the strawberries. Lightly press icing down until it's covered the strawberries, you don't need a lot. Not even half of the icing for this.

The first half should look like that. At this point place the bottom already iced half on a platter or whatever you're going to serve it on.
Then place the other half on top, like so~

Then cover the rest in icing, again.. lightly press over the strawberries or you'll have a mess.

It's best left in the fridge overnight, and eaten cold in the morning for breakfast. (:

Haha, but seriously fridge overnight & enjoy the next day! Or at least put it in there for a few hours to soak the juices in and make it real strawberry shortcake cake!