Old Fashioned Strawberry Cake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 8 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 10 oz. strawberries, sliced 1/4 inch thick, divided
• 3 tbsp coarse sugar
• I used sanding sugar for decorating cookies
• Strawberry sauce
• 2 lbs. strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Ice cream

Directions

1. Line a 9" cake pan with parchment paper.  Grease and flour the sides.
• I used a springform pan for easy removal.  But you can use a traditional cake pan, too.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking power, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.  Add the vanilla and continue mixing until it's creamy.
4. Switch to a whisk.  Add the eggs to the butter and mix well.
5. While mixing, add half the flour to the butter, followed by half the buttermilk.  Repeat again.  Mix just until no large lumps remain.
6. Fold in half the strawberries.  Pour into the prepared cake pan.  Sprinkle with the remaining berry slices and sugar.
7. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, until the cake if puffed and golden brown.
8. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
9. For the strawberry sauce, combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, simmering for 20-25 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool.  It will thicken while cooling.
10. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and the strawberry sauce.

Adapted from Alison Roman and Natasha's Kitchen.