Fresh Strawberry Cream Cake

A lovely way to welcome spring and all the fresh fruit that comes with it. Your family will love this cake and you will be very popular at your house.

Ingredients

U.S.

Metric

Conversion chart

Cream:

• 2 cup(s) nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup(s) heavy or whipping cream
• 1/3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Cake Layers:

• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup(s) whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup(s) low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup(s) canola oil
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 pound(s) strawberries
• 3 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoon(s) reduced-sugar strawberry preserves
• 1 tablespoon(s) confectioners' sugar

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Directions

1. In medium sieve set over deep medium bowl, place basket-style coffee filter or paper towel. Spoon yogurt into filter; cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
2. Prepare Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 9" round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray with flour. (Or, grease pans, then line bottoms with waxed paper; grease waxed paper and dust lined pans with flour.)
3. On sheet of waxed paper, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. From lemon, grate 1 tablespoon peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. In small bowl, with wire whisk, mix buttermilk, oil, lemon peel and juice, and vanilla until blended.
4. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat granulated sugar, eggs, and egg whites until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 5 minutes, or until mixture is pale and thickened, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. With spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until blended.
5. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Stagger pans on 2 oven racks, placing 2 on upper rack and 1 on lower rack so that upper pans are not directly above lower one. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. With small knife, loosen layers from sides of pans; invert onto racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, reserve 8 small whole strawberries for garnish; cut 4 in half through stem end. Hull remaining strawberries and cut each in half. In large bowl, mix hulled strawberries with granulated sugar and let stand 10 minutes.
7. Make Cream: In medium bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until blended. Fold in drained yogurt.
8. Assemble cake: Measure 1/2 cup Cream and reserve for top of cake. (If using, remove waxed paper from cake layers.) Place 1 cake layer rounded side down on cake plate; spread with 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves. Top with half of remaining Cream, spreading to 1 inch from edge of cake layer. Arrange half of strawberries, with some of their juices, in an even layer over Cream. Top with another cake layer, pressing lightly. Repeat with remaining preserves, Cream, and strawberries with their juices. Top with remaining cake layer. Place 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar in small sieve and sprinkle over the top of cake. Spoon reserved 1/2 cup Cream onto center of cake and garnish with reserved strawberries. Serve immediately.