Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour four 6-inch cake pans. Soak baking strips in water.

Step 2

Sift dry ingredients (including sugar). Whisk to combine.

Step 3

In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.

Step 4

Combine wet and dry mixtures. Whisk until combined. If the batter is lumpy, it’s okay!

Step 5

Add damp baking strips to the cake pans.

Step 6

Evenly distribute batter into pans. I like to use a kitchen scale for precision. This recipe makes enough batter for six layers. You can either use the extra batter for cupcakes or freeze the layers for another cake!

Step 7

Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes or until the centers are set and springy to the touch.

Step 8

In a stand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy.

Step 9

Sift in half of the confectioners sugar. Mix, then add the rest.

Step 10

Reserve about 1 cup of the white buttercream for the roses and green leaves.

Step 11

Add in strained strawberry preserves to the remaining buttercream. Mix until combined.

Step 12

Transfer the strawberry buttercream to a piping bag and snip off the tip.

Step 13

Use food coloring to dye the buttercream different shades of pink for the flowers. Use matcha powder to dye some green for the leaves.

Step 14

Cut a square of parchment paper. Use a tiny bit of buttercream to glue down the paper onto a piping nail.

Step 15

For the roses, pipe a small cone of very thick buttercream in the middle of the square.

Step 16

Use a 120 and 122 tip to make the petals.

Step 17

Pipe the strawberry buttercream between each layer.

Step 18

Crumb coat the cake and smooth with a scraper.

Step 19

Pipe a thin layer of plain white buttercream on the outside of the cake. Even out with a hot scraper and offset spatula. Chill for about 30 minutes.

Step 20

Pipe a ring of buttercream on the top of the cake.

Step 21

Use scissors to transfer roses to the ring.

Step 22

Pipe in leaves to create dimension.