Sugary Sweet Strawberry Cake

I believe the old 'save the best for less' mantra is a tad overrated. So as a self-admitted newby to the world of blogging, I have decided it is best to dive in mouth first. Nancy Patterson's is a charming Southern bistro, nestled between the admittedly best/worst neighborhoods in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. Here you find both the manliest of men, and the softest of Southern women, dining during their lunch break or perhaps just catching up on the societal gossip. Creamy Caesar salads, steak filet sandwiches, and fresh quiches decorate the plates of the nearby white-clothed tables... but every Southerner knows the real 'star' of the restaurant -- a huge, cool slice of the strawberry cake.

Although I've never had the guts to ask for a tall glass of milk with my slice, it's the kind of cake that deserves nothing less. The cake itself is a shade of pink so light it resembles Bermuda sand. The frosting is a sugary buttercream that is so timidly pink, but in reality it is so sweet it hurts your teeth (perfectly, of course). Occasionally a piece of strawberry hidden beneath the fluffy inside catches your tooth providing a wonderful nugget of chewyness. I've always considered my palate more of a 'chocolatey, peanut-buttery' kind, but even I can't deny that this cake is hands-down the ultimate indulgence.

My mother is a former caterer, cooking instructor, and despite complaints from her four children that we eat 'the same thing allll the time'-- she really is the best cook I know (and a top notch mom to boot!). So needless to say, I daren't tackle this kind of culinary challenge on my own. We sorted through endless cookbooks, food blogs, and magazines in search of THE strawberry cake. 2 years and 5 attempts later ... I present to you... Our Sugary Sweet Strawberry Cake.

Go ahead. Pour yourself a glass of cold whole milk. You've earned it.

RECIPE:

For the Cake

4 1/2 cups cake flour

3 cups sugar

5 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups pureed frozen strawberries

8 egg whites

2/3 cup milk

1 to 2 drops red food dye (*optional: I prefer the cake to be a paler, almost white pink)

For the Frosting

**we used cream cheese, but if you prefer the traditional buttercream, please indulge!

3 (8 ounce) packages of softened cream cheese

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake Instructions:

1. Preheart the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 9 inch round cake pans and line them with parchment or wax paper. Butter the paper as well. (we cooked 3 9-inch cakes, but only used two in the final cake. freeze your third cake and save it as a standy fabulous dessert!)

2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixer bowl on low speed for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and strawberry puree until the ingredients appear blended. Raise to medium speed and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. The batter should resemble strawberry ice cream.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg whites milk, and red food dye(*if used). Add the whites to the batter in two or three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing only to incorporate after each addition. Divide the batter amongst the three pans.

4. Bake the cakes for 30 to 34 minutes (ours took longer.. more like 40-45) or until the cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert and turn out onto wire rakcs and peel off the paper liners. Let stand until completely cooled before assembling the cake, at least an hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

5. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigeratore after use.

Frosting & Assembling:

6. Place one cake layer on a cake board or platter. Note: tucking scraps of waxed paper under the edges of the cake will protect the board or plate from any mess from frosting! Spread about 2/3 cup frosting over the layer, spreading it to the edge. Repeat with the second layer. Frost the stop and sides of the cake with remaining frosting, reserving a small amount if you wish to tint and decorate the cake.