'MERICA CAKE

Happy 4th of July everyone! This is one of my favorite holidays because, A: it's in the Summer, my favorite time of year! B: BBQs. Need I say more? C: What's better than sitting by a lake with your friends and family watching things blow up? Not much!

I wanted to make something festive for the celebrations, and decided upon this raspberry filled cake-it's so good! Perhaps I'm just obsessed because my wedding cake was similar. Whatever the case, it's delicious, cute, AND festive.

Cake Recipe: 
I used the recipe found on this website.

Makes 4 - 9" layers

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups plain greek yogurt, not fat free

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 320°F. Grease and flour four 9" cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Separate eggs, putting yolks into one bowl and whites into another. Set aside.
4. Beat egg whites until medium peaks form and set aside.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flour mixture slowly and mix until just combined. Add yogurt and mix until combined.
6. Gently fold in egg whites until almost combined. You should still see small blobs of egg whites.
7. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
8. Completely cool before frosting.

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Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
2-6 Tbsp water or milk

Directions

Mix all ingredients, adding more or less water/milk to your desired consistency

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Raspberry Filling:

Ingredients

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Mix softened cream cheese and raspberry jam together until well combined-about 2 minutes
2. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until it reaches desired consistency.

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Enjoy!

Hope you all have a fantastic Independence Day! Zach is working all night (BOO) so I'll be spending it with the fam, and then at a BBQ with some of our friends from church :)