sour cream white cake with creamy cream cheese frosting

last week i was one of many asked to bring a cake to a wedding reception.  of course i said yes and of course i forgot.  i had it all planned out...friday i would bake the perfect cakes and saturday i would frost and decorate said perfect cakes.  only friday night as i fell to sleep i realized that not only had i not baked those cakes, but i also hadn't even picked up the ingredients for the cakes.  hmmm.  so saturday afternoon, after a fun filled morning at the herriman triathlon, i rushed around trying to find the perfect cake and the perfect frosting and the perfect filling.  and i think this might be it.  the cakes are very moist and the frosting is a delicious combination of the light airiness of whipped cream and the deep rich taste of cream cheese frosting.  and the best part is that you can make them at the last minute and still feel like you're making a masterpiece!


cake recipe
one white cake mix with pudding
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

add cake mix and all ingredients to bowl or stand mixer and mix until well blended.  pour into two greased 9 inch cake rounds and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  cool completely.


frosting
1 8 ounce bar of cream cheese
2 sticks softened butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 - 3/4 cup whipped cream

using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, add softened cream cheese and butter and mix together well.  add powdered sugar a little at a time until mixed together.  add vanilla and begin to whip all ingredients for 2-3 minutes until mixture has lightened in color.  with the mixer on at a low speed, slowly pour whipped cream into butter mixture.  when mixture is to desired consistency, turn mixer up to a fast speed and whip frosting for 4-5 minutes.  you won't really whip the cream but you'll whip the whole frosting together and get the best of both whipped cream and cream cheese frosting.

assembling the cake

place on cake on desired cake plate/stand and frost just the top.  i then used raspberry jam to layer in between the two cakes.  just stir up the jam to loosen and smooth over the top of the first frosted cake layer.  now add the second cake round and smooth a very thin layer of frosting over the entire cake.  this is your crumb layer.  place cake in fridge to allow frosting to set up just a bit...about 20-30 minutes.  remove from fridge and add a second, thicker layer of frosting and any other desired decorations or toppings.  i topped mine with fresh strawberries and piped frosting all the way around the strawberry center.