Layer Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and oil and flour three 8” cake pans
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In standard mixer with whisk attachment, beat sugar and eggs together on medium speed for 3 minutes. Then beat in milk, oil, and vanilla, one at a time.
4. Combine this wet mixture with your sifted dry ingredients. Pour this mixture into your cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.

Frosting:

1. In medium pot, add at least 1-inch of water and bring to simmer.
2. Wash/dry stainless steel mixing bowl from your stand mixer (grease shouldn’t touch meringue).
3. Add in 7 egg whites and 2 cups sugar and whisk together.
4. Place mixing bowl over the pot of barely simmering water, creating a seal over the pot (bowl should be over the steam, not touching water). Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160˚ F (about 3 min). Ensure sugar is fully dissolved.
5. Wipe water from bottom of mixing bowl and transfer bowl to stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form (about 15-20 min) and bottom of the bowl reaches room temp and not warm. (Important: warm meringue will melt the butter).
6. When bowl is at room temp, switch to paddle attachment, reduce to medium speed and add butter 1 tbsp. at a time—adding it as fast as it’s absorbed by meringue. Once all butter is in, scrape down bowl and continue beating until it reaches a thick whipped consistency (3 min on med-high speed). If it looks lumpy or liquidy at all, keep beating until smooth, thick and whipped.
7. Scrape frosting into a different bowl and set aside.
8. In the mixer bowl, add cream cheese and whip until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides to ensure it is smooth and well-incorporated.
9. Slowly add the buttercream mixture back into the bowl, one spoonful at a time, stirring on medium-low speed. Increase speed until stiff peaks form.
10. Add 2 tsp. vanilla extract and ¼ tsp. salt and mix on med-high until incorporated (about 1 min).

To Assemble:

1. 1 Jar (13 oz.) Bonne Maman® Strawberry Preserves
2. Build the layers of the cake alternating frosting and Bonne Maman® Strawberry Preserves.
3. Add fresh-cut strawberries.
4. Slice, serve, and enjoy!