Strawberry-Perserve Cake

I made this cake for my husband's grandmother. Happy Birthday Grandma T!

2-1/2 cups cake flour

1-1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup strawberry preserves

4 large eggs

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 recipe Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)

1/2 cup buttermilk

Red food coloring paste

PREHEAT to 350 degrees. 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 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 tester inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack. SPREAD, icing between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with strawberries, if desired.

Yield: 1 (9-in ) cake, prep: 10 min, bake: 30 min

STRAWBERRY CREAM-CHEESE ICING

Yield: 3 cups Prep: 5 minutes

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

1-tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 pinch salt

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.

(This recipe was adapted from Taste of the South magazine Feb/Mar 2009)-