On one of the first days the boys were out of school, we picked up sandwiches for lunch, that they then sat out by the pool to eat, while enjoying the sunshine. After their fill of bread, meat and fresh air, they came inside for a little something strawberry sweet.
BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY ICING
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Strawberry Icing (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 350F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with baking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared dish. Smooth top.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 25 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack. Spread Strawberry Icing on top of cooled cake.
STRAWBERRY ICING
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
5 cups confectioners’ sugar
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add preserves, beating until combined. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Swans Down
