CAKE RECIPE
 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 
    ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
    ▢ 1 tsp baking powder 4g, heaping
    ▢ ¼ tsp baking soda 1g, heaping
    ▢ ¼ tsp kosher salt 1g, heaping
    ▢ ¾ cup butter 170g unsalted, room temperature or melted
    ▢ ¼ cup whole milk  warm
    ▢ ¼ cup strawberry preserves
    ▢ ½ cup sour cream  room temperature
    ▢ 1 tbsp vanilla extract
    ▢ 3 egg whites large
    ▢ 3/5 cup fresh strawberries  chopped (optional)
    ▢ 1 tbsp lemon zest
    ▢ pink food coloring


FROSTING RECIPE
▢ 1  lb confectioners sugar,
    ▢ 1 cup or 2 sticks  butter room temperature OR slightly melted
    ▢ 1 tbsp strawberry preserve 
    ▢ 1/4 tsp kosher salt heaping
  ▢  Red food coloring
▢ Baby strawberries sliced for topping garnish

Instructions
For the Cake:
 Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. 
     Zest a lemon.
    Sift dry ingredients (including sugar). Whisk to combine.
    In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (including lemon zest).
    Combine wet and dry mixtures. Whisk until combined. Add a few drops of pink food coloring until you reach a desired consistency. If you're adding fresh strawberries then fold into the batter now.
     Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cake pans.
    Bake for about 30 - 38 minutes or until the centers are set and springy to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean.
    Leave the layers to cool in the pans for about 4 minutes, then dump out onto cooling racks.

For  Buttercream:
In a stand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy.
    Sift in half of the confectioners sugar. Mix, then add the rest. Add salt. 
 Add in 1 tbsp of strawberry preserves to the batch. Mix until combined.
    Add a drop of  base red food coloring.
    Add lemon juice to frosting until combined
    spread frosting in between each layer. Fill in gaps on the outside of cake. Smooth out with a bench scraper or offset spatula 
top with sliced strawberries    
    Chill in the fridge.