Happy 1st Jessiker Bakes!

I couldn't figure out whether to say "Happy First Birthday" Or "Happy 1st Anniversary".


It's my blog's birthday.


It's my business' birthday.


Needless to say, I've had a great day. Thank you to everyone for all the blessings and well wishes!! I just have to thank God that I've gotten this far with minor issues! It's been amazing and I am completely in love with food. And sugar.

No, that's not a bad thing.


It's crazy how excited I was for with this day! I've enjoyed blogging so much to the point that it's like a stress relief not just to blog but to see what my other favourite bloggers are up to. Blogging was definitely one of the best decisions I've ever made and it has been a great experience. I have made so many online friends, discovered so many recipes and definitely expanded my baking horizons. Its pretty hard to do keep updating during this high pressure finals season but I care so much about it I always continue.


You want to know why I also continue? 

Comments like "I just wanted to pop by and let you know that you inspire me". Paraphrasing, things like that make my week. I'm no Bakerella, though Angie is amazing and I noticed that my Cake Pops book was on my mom's desk the other day (I'm spreading the love!), so to know that I inspire people, and that people look up to me as a role model equals one of the best best best feelings in the world.

I love you all and thank you to everyone who has been there for me during this year! You all mean so much to me.


On to the cake. Goodness gracious, I'm slightly comatose-d writing this. I ate half of a slice and though I wanted to stuff the rest down gingerly eat the rest I just couldn't. Four layers, whew.


Lemon-Vanilla and Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. I'm sorry, but this will definitely be going along with my dinner. P.S. my dinner might be cake. Hehe.

Lemon-Vanilla and Strawberry 4 Layer Cake
adapted from Sweetopolita's Triple-Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake



Ingredients

4 1/2 cups cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup whole milk
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened about 20 minutes out of refrigerator
3 cups white sugar
8 large eggs
1 cup blended strawberries (chop in food processor until blended)


Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 4 round 9" cake pans with parchment paper, butter and flour. Sift dry ingredients into medium bowl. 
Stir whole milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest in small bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar, until pale yellow and very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, until well combined. Mix in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Divide batter in two, and pour one half equally into two of the 9" tins.


With the remaining batter, add a touch of pink food colouring and mix until batter is pink. Add a cup of blended strawberries into the batter and equally distribute between the two remaining 9" pans.

Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks for about 10 minutes, then invert onto racks until completely cool.