I recently made this cake for a friend’s small wedding reception. She originally mentioned that she preferred something on the healthy side, but knowing that is not my specialty, I suggested this cake and she happily put those feelings aside! A light and fluffy vanilla cake layered with lots of fresh strawberries, our Oregon Growers Strawberry Preserve and fresh whipped cream, (my version of healthy I guess!) a perfect way to celebrate any summer event!

Stephanie Halici

Oregon Growers Customer Care

Vanilla Bean Cake

With fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 Cups all purpose flour

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Teaspoon baking soda

½ Teaspoon salt

1 ½ Sticks of unsalted butter- room temperature

¾ Cup sugar

1 Cup sour cream

¼ Cup buttermilk

1 Teaspoon good vanilla extract

2 vanilla beans split lengthwise

2 Eggs

For Decorating

Fresh Whipped Cream

Fresh Strawberries (buy locally if you can!)

Oregon Growers Strawberry Preserve

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 round 9inch cake pans.
• Sift the flour and next 3 ingredients in a mixing bowl, set aside.
• In a stand up mixer with a paddle attachment,  beat the butter and sugar and medium  high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each egg.
• Add vanilla and contents of the inside of the split vanilla beans by scraping with the backside of a knife.
• Add sour cream and buttermilk until well blended in.
• On medium low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, blend just until all ingredients are incorporated, be careful not to over mix .
• Pour batter equally in each cake pan.
• Rotating your cake pans half way through, bake for a total 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean.
• Let cool in pans for 15 minutes, then remove cake and let completely cool on cooling racks.

For the fresh whipped cream

• Whisk on high speed in a stand up mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer until thick the chilled heavy whipping cream and ¾ cup of sifted powdered sugar.

For decorating

• Spoon a thin layer of Oregon Growers  Strawberry Preserve on the tops of each cake.
• Then add sliced strawberries, letting the outer strawberries hang over the edge of each cake.
• Finish off by topping with the whipped cream.
• Carefully place one cake layer on top of the other.
• Finish by scattering additional layer of strawberries on the top of the finished cake.