The Pioneer Woman’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake Recipe Tastes Like Spring by Ann Marie G. Halstead

Are you ready for spring? I am! Fall is my favorite season and spring is a close second. I clearly like moderate temperatures and what they bring. This is one of the reasons why I strongly prefer the weather in Virginia to my home state of New York (though Virginia summers are too hot, if you ask me!). Some of my favorite things about spring: flowers blooming, the bright colors, the weather, spending time outdoors and the spring dessert recipes. If you’re anything like me, when the weather warms up, you aren’t craving the heavier, comfort foods of winter but rather looking for lighter, sweeter recipes.

Ree Drummond, or the Pioneer Woman, is one of my favorite celebrity chefs, and she has been for a long time. In fact, her cooking show may have been the first one I ever really paid much attention to. I appreciate both her dinner and dessert recipes, but I have a soft (and sweet!) spot for her dessert recipes. My husband especially loves any kind of cake with berries in the middle, especially strawberries, so I’ve chosen to share this strawberry shortcake cake recipe in his honor. I hope it sweetens your family’s table, too. According to Ree, this strawberry shortcake cake is best served slightly cool. Therefore, “for best results, store in the fridge” until you’re ready to serve.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
Servings: 8 to 10

Ingredients

Cake 

• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 pound strawberries, plus more to garnish (optional)

Icing 

• 1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon 
• pinch of salt

Here’s how to make it:

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter with 1 1/2 cups of the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each additional egg. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.
2. Pour the batter into an 8-inch cake pan that's been greased and floured. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven until no longer “jiggly like my bottom” (I love the way Ree adds personality to her recipes!), about 45 to 50 minutes. As soon as you remove the cake pan from the oven, remove cake from the pan and place cake on a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely.
3. Remove strawberry stems and halve them. Mash strawberries. Sprinkle them with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Allow the strawberries to sit for 30 minutes.
4. For the icing, in a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix until very light and fluffy.
5. Slice the cake in half, lengthwise, to make two smaller cakes. Spread the strawberries evenly over each cut side of each cake, pouring on the juices as well. Place the cake halves into the freezer for 5 minutes, which will make it easier to ice the cake.
6. Remove the cake halves from the freezer. Use a little less than one-third of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second cake layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top and spread it evenly. Spread the remaining icing around the sides of the cake. Garnish with strawberry halves, if desired. 

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