Ingredients
- 350g butter, at room temperature
- 400g caster sugar
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large eggs
- 2 extra egg whites
- 430g plain all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 1/2 cup full cream milk
Strawberry butter cream
- 120g butter, room temperature
- 250g cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 3 1/2 cups icing pure, sifted
- 4-5 tbsp strawberry jam
Serve
- Fresh strawberries, halved
Method
- Pre heat the oven to 180C. Line the base and sides of x3 23cm wide cake tins.
- Add the lemon juice to the milk and set aside.
- Attach the beater attachment to your KitchenAid stand mixer, beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time while beating in between until well combined. Follow by adding the remaining egg whites and lemon zest.
- Gradually add in the plain flour, baking powder and baking soda while the stand mixer is on a low speed. Mix until it has just come together so its not over mixed.
- Pour the milk in gradually while the stand mixer is on a low speed again until just mixed.
- Divide the batter between the 3 cake tins and bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.
- Place the cakes on a cooling rack to cool down. After 20-30 minutes gently turn the cakes out to completely cool on the rack.
- The top of the cakes can be trimmed using a bread knife to level it.
To make the cream cheese butter cream
- Combine the butter at room temperature with the cream cheese and the vanilla essence in the stand mixer bowl. Mix well on a high speed until it is a smooth consistency.
- Add the icing sugar half a cup at a time until well mixed and there is no lumps. Turn the stand mixer off and stir through using a spoon the strawberry jam leaving it not perfectly mixed in.
- Place one cake on a serving plate or cake stand. Using a spatular spread out a third of the cream cheese butter cream over the top. Repeat the process until all 3 cakes are stacked up. Spread out the remaining cream over the top.
- Serve with fresh halved strawberries over the top.
