Canadian Flag Cake

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter , softened
• 3 large eggs , at room temperature
• 0.5 cups sour cream , at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup milk , at room temperature

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 11x17-inch baking pan with 1-inch high sides.

2. 2

   Prepare the cake: Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat eggs one at a time into the butter mixture; beat in sour cream and vanilla.

3. 3

   Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. With the mixer at low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk just until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and finish mixing with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into the prepared pan; spread to corners of the pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes. To remove cake from the pan, run a paring knife between cake and the pan. Cover cake pan with a plate or cooling rack; invert to transfer cake onto a plate.

5. 5

   Make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly pour in cream. Once cream is incorporated, turn mixer speed to medium-high; beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

6. 6

   Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over top and sides of cake, smoothing the top.

7. 7

   Finish with decoration: Place 2 to 3 rows of overlapping strawberry slices parallel to the short sides of the cake for the two red stripes of the Canadian flag. Trace out a maple leaf shape in the center of the cake with a toothpick. Use points of strawberry slices to create points of the maple leaf. Cut a strip of strawberry for the leaf stem. Fill in the area of the maple leaf with sliced strawberries.

8. 8

   Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.