Strawberry-Filled Vanilla Layer Cake with {Stabilized} Whipped Cream Frosting
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 1 (2-layer) 8-inch round cake, or about 8 to 10 servings
 
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake:
  • 2⅔ cups (340 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups (300 g) sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (475 ml) cold water
  • ⅔ cup (160 ml) canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon butter flavoring (optional, but highly recommended)
Filling:
  • About ½ to ⅔ cup of your favorite brand of strawberry jam or about 1 cup of hulled, sliced strawberries
Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting (makes about 2 cups of frosting):
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
  • ¾ teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 1 tablespoon boiling water
  • 1 cup (238 ml) whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Other:
  • Butter (or oil), to grease the cake pan
  • Flour, to dust the cake pan
Instructions
  1. For the cake, preheat the oven to 350F. Butter (or oil) and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans.
  2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the water, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and butter flavoring in a medium bowl. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, being careful not to over-mix.
  3. Pour the batter into the 2 prepared pans. Bake the cakes until golden outside and a toothpick inserted inside comes out dry or with just a couple crumbs, about 25 to 35 minutes. Rotate the cakes once halfway through cooking.
  4. Place the cakes on wire racks and cool completely.
  5. Once the cakes are completely cooled, run a knife along the outside of 1 cake and invert it onto a cake plate. Spread strawberry jam onto the inverted cake, leaving about ½-inch along the outside without jam (because it will spread when you place the 2nd layer on top).
  6. Run a knife along the outside of the 2nd cake and carefully invert it onto the top of the jam layer. Once the cake is assembled like this, go ahead and make the frosting.
  7. For the frosting, add 1 tablespoon cold water to a small bowl; sprinkle the gelatin on top and stir to combine. Let it sit until it thickens, and then add 1 tablespoon boiling water and stir to dissolve. Let it cool a couple minutes while you whip the cream.
  8. Add the whipping cream to a large glass bowl and use a handheld electric beater to whip it until it starts to thicken (basically, right before it starts to form soft peaks). Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and whip a couple seconds to combine.
  9. While whipping continuously, gradually add the dissolved gelatin; continue whipping just until the cream forms stiff peaks.
  10. Immediately frost the cake (because the frosting will set if left to sit). You can keep the cake at cool room temperature for a couple hours before serving, but any longer than that and it should be stored in the fridge.
Recipe by An Edible Mosaic™ at https://www.anediblemosaic.com/strawberry-filled-vanilla-layer-cake-with-stabilized-whipped-cream-frosting/