Strawberry Vanilla Butter Cake: a straightforward from-scratch layer cake with strawberry-filled buttercream

This is a simple old-fashioned vanilla butter cake assembled as a two-layer celebration cake. The twist is that diced fresh strawberries are folded into a portion of the vanilla buttercream and used as the filling between the layers. Sugar in the frosting macerates the strawberries so they soften and release juices that add strawberry flavor to the center of the cake.

• Cake flours: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose and 1 1/2 cups cake flour, plus leaveners (baking soda and baking powder) and salt.
• Fats and sweetener: 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, 2 tsp vanilla.
• Eggs and dairy: 3 large eggs and 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or milk soured with 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar).
• Frosting: about 8 cups powdered sugar, 2 cups unsalted butter, 4 Tbsp milk (adjust to consistency), and 2 cups diced strawberries (folded into about 1/4 of the frosting for the filling).

• Prep pans: grease, flour, and line the bottoms of two 9-inch round pans with parchment.

• Wet mix: beat oil, butter, and vanilla at high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.
• Combine: fold dry ingredients into the wet, alternating with buttermilk. Add dry ingredients in three parts and buttermilk in two, starting and ending with dry.
• Bake: divide batter between the two prepared pans and bake at 325°F for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

• Use real dairy butter in both the cake and the frosting for the intended flavor and texture.

• Folding the strawberries into only part of the frosting lets the sugar macerate the fruit without making the entire frosting runny.
• The macerated strawberries will release some juice, which can slightly permeate the bottom cake layer and boost flavor.

The recipe yields about 16 servings. The cake is presented as a celebration cake and pairs well with additional fresh strawberries as a garnish.