Rustik Jordgubbstårta (Swedish Rustic Strawberry Cake)

Cake Layers:

1. Heat oven to 345°F. Grease three 8" (20cm) round cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a little bit of lemon juice or white vinegar, wipe down all tools and bowls that will touch the egg whites. (Your meringue will not set up properly if there is any residual grease or fat on your tools.)
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.
5. With mixer running, add caster sugar a little bit at a time, then mix in vanilla paste and lemon juice. Beat on medium-high to high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
6. Gently fold half of dry ingredients into meringue mixture. Then fold in the other half, taking care to not deflate your batter.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. (There will be roughly 310g of batter in each pan.)
8. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cake layers are done when tops are light golden brown and the cakes have pulled away from the sides of the pans.
9. Transfer pans to wire racks. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing cake layers from pans to cool completely.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. When your cake layers are totally cool, let’s make some strawberry frosting! If you have multiple metal mixer bowls, place one bowl and whisk attachment in freezer for 15 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, briefly beat cream cheese until it’s soft, smooth, and extra creamy.
3. Add one-third of confectioners’ sugar and mix until incorporated. Repeat for other two thirds of confectioners’ sugar.
4. Add strawberry spread, vanilla paste, and salt, mixing until combined. If it’s hot in your kitchen, place cream cheese mixture in fridge while you make the whipped cream.
5. In the chilly bowl of a stand mixer fitted with cold whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until medium peaks form.
6. Gently fold half of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, then fold in the other half.

Assembly & Decoration:

1. Put a small blob of frosting in the middle of your cake board (or turntable or cake stand) to help keep the cake in place. Then lay down one layer.
2. Spread roughly one-third of frosting across top of cake layer, then carefully place second cake layer on top. Repeat until all three layers are stacked and frosted.
3. For the naked cake look, use an offset spatula to spread a crumb coat over the sides of cake.
4. Place cake in fridge to chill for 15–30 minutes.
5. Decorate with fresh strawberries, mint leaves, edible flowers, or whatever else you like!