Strawberry Shortcake Cake

IMPORTANT!!: You MUST bake this in a 2-inch deep pan! I didn't have a round cake pan that deep, so i just used a standard 8by8 square baking dish and it worked perfectly. I am warning you...THIS IS DELICIOUS!!!! and SO pretty - perfect for a bridal or baby shower!

Cake:

1 1/2 c flour

3 T corn starch

1/2 t salt

1 t baking soda

9 T unstalted butter, room temp

1 1/2 c sugar

3 eggs

1/2 c sour cream, room temp

1 t vanilla

Icing:

1 (8oz) cream cheese, room temp

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1 pound strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together four, salt, baking soda, and corn starch. In electric mixer, cream 9 T butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until no longer jiggly in the middle. Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.

Stem and halve strawberries. Place in a bowl with 3 T sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries to release juices and sprinkle with about 2 T more sugar. Allow to sit for another 30 minutes.

Make icing: combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl with electric mixer and whisk attachment (or hand mixer). This allows air to be whipped into the icing to make it light and fluffy. Mix until very light and fluffy...it almost looks like whipped cream.

Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minues, just to make icing easier.

Remove from freezer. use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top, spreading evenly, then spread the remaining around the sides.

You can either leave it plain with few strawberries showing through or garnish with strawberry halves.

IMPORTANT: Cake is best when served slightly cool. The butter content in the icing will cause it to soften at room temp. For best results, store in the fridge!!

*From The Pioneer Woman - my new favorite cake recipe!