Strawberry Ruffle Cake with Strawberry Compote

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. Set pans aside.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Mix milk, melted butter and vanilla in another bowl. Set aside.

Whip the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of a standing mixer until pale and thick. This will take about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just incorporated.

Scoop 2 cups of the cake batter and add it into the bowl with the milk and butter mixture. Whisk until well combined. Then pour the mixture back into the remaining cake batter. Fold until well mixed.

Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cake pans and spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove pans from oven. Cool cakes in pans set on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before inverting them out of the pans onto a rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.

To prepare the strawberry compote, cook 1 1/2 cups strawberries, cornstarch, sugar and water in a small saucepan until the berries start to break down, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat and simmer until the compote is thick, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let berries cool slightly before pushing the compote into a bowl through a fine sieve to remove the seeded pulp. Let compote cool completely. (Discard any solids that remain in the sieve.)

To prepare buttercream, beat butter for a few minutes in the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. When butter is fluffy, add powdered sugar and turn your mixer on low. Beat until the sugar incorporates with the butter. Add vanilla, heavy cream and strawberry puree. Beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes, or until buttercream becomes light and fluffy. Add 1 or 2 drops of coloring paste and mix until you get to the preferred color.

To assemble the cake, fill a pastry bag attached to a 1/2″ round tip with about 2 cups of buttercream. Place one cake layer on your serving plate and pipe a dam of frosting around the edge of the cake layer. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the compote inside the dam, along with a few of the fresh chopped strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the buttercream. Spread to cover the top of the cake. Then gently spread the buttercream to seal the compote in.

Place another cake layer on top and repeat the same process. Place the last layer of cake on top. Smear a light coating of frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

Transfer the remaining buttercream to a large piping bag fitted with a large petal tip. Holding the piping bag straight with tip pointing at the cake plate and the smaller part of the tip facing outward, pipe from the bottom in a back and forth motion until you reach the top of the cake. Pipe rows of ruffles along the cake edges.

Garnish cake top with fresh strawberries. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator an hour before serving.