Pretty-in-Pink Strawberry Cake

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 pint poached berries sliced
• 0.5 pound butter 
• 1 pound butter 
• 2 cups buttermilk 
• 1.5 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 4  egg yolks 
• 4  eggs 
• 3 cups flour 
• 0.5 tablespoon juice of lemon 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 pound strawberries chopped
• 2 cups sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 0.3 cup water 

Equipment

• oven
• whisk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 (9-inch) cake pans with parchment; grease paper.
2. Cream 1/2 pound butter and 2 cups sugar. Beat in 4 eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 Tbsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. baking soda.
3. Add 3 cups flour and 2 cups buttermilk alternately. Fold in 1/2 pound chopped strawberries.
4. Scrape into pans.
5. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
6. Make buttercream while cakes cool. Bring 1 pint sliced berries and 1/3 cup water to a boil, stirring; remove from heat. Beat 4 yolks and 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar; stir into liquid. Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt; cook, whisking, until temperature reaches 170F. Off heat, beat in 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice; let cool. Beat in 1 pound butter 2 Tbsp. at a time until fluffy.
7. Add a drop of red coloring, if desired.
8. Place one cake layer on a platter.
9. Spread 3/4 cup buttercream on top.
10. Add top layer and frost cake.