Strawberry Yogurt Cake Recipe

This strawberry yogurt cake recipe, uses fresh strawberries in the cake batter and strawberry jam for the cake filling.

Ingredients

Cakes
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
12 oz. plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and chopped into small pieces in a blender. Just pulse, so you maintain small pieces of strawberries. You can also do this by and if you wish.

Jam Filling
1 cup strawberry jam

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners' sugar, SIFTED
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
(Makes 2 1/2 cups frosting)

Directions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 round 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Using an electric mix cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bow.

Beat in one egg at a time.

In a small bowl mix together the yogurt, milk and vanilla.

Add to the butter mixture and beat in until well combined.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry in increments and don't overbeat.

Fold the prepared strawberries into the batter.

Divide the batter into the two prepared pans.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove the pans to cooling racks. Let sit in the pans for 5 minutes then turn the cakes out onto the cooling racks. Remove the parchment paper.

Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter for a few minutes on medium speed.

Add 3 cups of confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is incorporated into the butter.

Increase mixer speed to medium and add the pure vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes.

If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add the remaining confectioners' sugar.

If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Buttercream icings are so easy to work with because you can add more or less of the confectioners' sugar and milk and get to that perfect consistency.

Assembly

Place one layer of cake onto a cake plate.

Spread the strawberry jam onto the cake going almost right to the edges.

Place the second layer of cake on top.

Frost the tops and sides.

Note: If you wanted to decorate the top with colored frosting designs, you can reserve some of the frosting in small bowls, add colors, and pipe garnish on to your desire.