Strawberry Jelly Cake

This layer cake is affectionately referred to as “Grandma’s Cake” by many Southerners. Using jelly as the filling and the frosting is a wonderful way to add fruity flavor to a cake year-round. The jelly seeps into the cake, so there’s no need to brush on a simple syrup to keep it moist. This recipe uses cake flour, which has less protein than all-purpose flour and yields a more tender crumb. But it can be prone to clumping. Sift it into the mixing bowl, or use a whisk to aerate it and break up any lumps. “Frost” the sides of the cake with jelly or buttercream, or just let it drip down the sides. When making this cake in the summer, you can top it with sliced fresh strawberries.

Ingredients

• Nonstick baking spray

• 3

  cups/385 grams cake flour, plus more for flouring the pan

• 1

  tablespoon baking powder

• 1

  teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1

  cup/115 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

• 2

  cups/400 grams granulated sugar

• 4

  large eggs, at room temperature

• 1

  teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1

  cup/240 milliliters whole milk (or nondairy milk)

• 2

  cups/480 grams strawberry jelly

• 1

  cup/165 grams sliced fresh strawberries

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using baking spray, grease and flour 3 (8- or 9-inch) cake pans.
2. Sift the 3 cups cake flour and the baking powder into a medium bowl. Add the salt and stir to combine.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, one third at a time, until both are fully incorporated.
6. Scrape down the mixer attachments, and the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat just until the batter comes together. (Don’t overmix.) Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans.
7. Bake until the cake is browned on top, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and place the cake pans on a wire rack. Let the cakes cool in the pans completely, about 30 minutes, before inverting onto the rack.
9. Once the cake layers are cool, add the strawberry jelly to a small bowl and microwave in 10-second intervals, just until the jelly becomes spreadable.
10. To assemble, place a layer of cake on the serving dish, then spread ½ cup of jelly on top. Repeat with the remaining two layers, adding more jelly on top to drizzle down the cake. Top with fresh, sliced strawberries.