White Cake with Marzipan, Strawberries and Whipped Cream Frosting

This is best darn cake I've ever ate. Well, the second best darn cake. A couple of weeks ago, Jack's sister Meghan, an amazing baker made their mother's birthday cake. I never have been a cake person, we all know I love pie. But this cake, was life changing and I got the recipe, baking it for my parents 37th wedding anniversary in May. Meghan used the basic white cake recipe from Leite's Culinaria and simply modified the vanilla extract to almond extract, as to maintain the cake's almond theme. Her cake used raspberries, but since mom had just picked several baskets of strawberries from her garden, I knew that my preference for raspberries was going to be overridden by my preference for fresh and local. Strawberries are almost as amazing as raspberries (my favorite fruit). Meghan used a raspberry preserve jam in between her cake layers (excellent when it's not berry season), but I opted for fresh strawberries, which while lumpier, were in season. She then bought 1 can of marzipan and blended it with about a cup of confectioners sugar, and a full half a cup of milk. I initially thought stirring this all with a spoon would suffice, but brought out the electric mixer, which I highly recommend. Meghan didn't add any sugar to the whipped cream, and it definitely didn't need it. I used a small 8 ounce carton of organic, heavy whipping cream, which was the perfect amount for both layers of the cake when whipped. I sliced several, never measured cups of strawberries and layered them on the cake, single layer on the middle layer, and a rounded layer on the top. While I swear this is the best cake I've ever had (dad loved it too), mom and Jack both still prefer the 4 Layer Chocolate Cake. In my book, it's hard to trump almond. Chocolate is a close second, well, that or caramel. Meghan's Almond Filling 1 12 oz can of marzipan 1 c. confectioners sugar 1/2-1 c. milk Directions: Mix all ingredients, until well blended with electric mixer in medium sized bowl. INGREDIENTS 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pans 2 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (Meghan used Almond Extract) DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans and coat them evenly with flour, tapping out the excess. 2. In a large bowl or on a large piece of parchment paper, sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together with a sifter or with a fine strainer by gently tapping your hand against the edge. Add the salt (you can just leave it on top of the flour pile because it will get mixed in later). Set aside for the moment. 3. Using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar together, first on low speed and then gradually increasing the speed to medium until the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula and then mix in the eggs, 1 at a time, just until combined. 4. In a glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk or milk and lemon juice mixture with the vanilla. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add half of the milk mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated, and then scrape down the side of the bowl. Mix in half of the sifted ingredients and then scrape down the side of the bowl. Add the remaining milk mixture and sifted ingredients in the same manner. 5. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake the cakes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean or the cake has slightly pulled away from the side of the pan, 20 to 30 minutes or so. (If you leave the cakes in the oven longer than 20 minutes, you may need to cover them loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning. And if you had to put the cake pans on two different racks in the oven, switch the pans halfway through baking so they'll bake evenly.) 6. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack. Unmold them by running a small knife around the edge of the pans and then placing a plate on top of each cake and inverting the pan and plate. Remove the pans and let the cakes cool completely before frosting. (The wrapped cake layers keep at room temperature for a few days or in the freezer for up to a couple of months.) via cooking with a stud, http://www.cookingwithastud.com/2013/07/white-cake-with-marzipan-strawberries.html

Put the internet to work for you. via Personal Recipe 3453228