• Instructions

Strawberry Sourdough Discard Cake layers

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (180C) or 325 F (160C) for a convection oven. Grease 3 8-inch cake pans with baker's floured spray (or line with parchment rounds).
• Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.
• Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
• Pour in eggs and mix on low until just combined. Whisk together sourdough discard and milk until well-combined. Add the sourdough discard/milk mixture in 2 parts, mixing until combined.
• Add vanilla, almond extract, and strawberries (both), and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
• Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
• Bake for 35-37 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans – it helps to run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the pan first. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
• Once the layers have fully cooled, the caramelized bits can be trimmed from the sides / top of the cake using a serrated knife if desired. (Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before trimming - or they’ll crumble or break.) This is a great time to make your frosting!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

• (Optional: if you want a finer consistency to your frosting, process strawberries in a blender or food processor, or use powdered freeze-dried strawberries. If you don’t mind the freeze-dried strawberry pieces in the frosting, skip this step! If you’d like the strawberries to have time to soften a bit in the frosting, you can make it several hours or up to a day ahead.)
• Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with flavoring and strawberries until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt/milk if needed and beat until well combined.

Assembly

• If needed, once cake layers are cooled, level them (I don’t generally trim much from the tops of mine). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler if needed.
• Place a smear of frosting on a cake circle or flat plate (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle.
• Spread the first layer with frosting. (Add some sliced/crushed/preserved strawberries if you’d like.) Add your next cake layer on top, and repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
• Now you're ready to crumb-coat. If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
• Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth (or texture). (More details in this post on frosting cakes. See 'Cake ring hack' for my cheater method.) ;)

Decorating

• Smoothing the cake sides will probably result in a small ‘lip’ or ‘ridge’ of frosting at the top – this is a good thing. ;) Wipe off the offset spatula again, and use it to pull in that ‘lip,’ keeping the spatula even with the top of the cake. Work your way around the cake until the top edge is smooth. Smooth-ish. Whatever. ;)
• Decorate as you like - I used sliced strawberries, frosting swirls, and sprinkles! Annnd you’re done! Cut in and enjoy!