Daylight saving will start in about two weeks. It means that you will enjoy daytime longer, weather is getting warmer, then it comes spring! And before you know it, summer will be here!

WHAT? SPRING? You are sitting over there in the East Coast and like WHAT THE HELL! I know I know. It’s lucky that we live in the West and we had a fairy warm winter this year. This morning when I was pulling out of our driveway, I noticed some long bluish green blade-shaped leaves growing under the tree in our front yard. And I know tulips are coming back. Spring is here soon.

What’s more to be happy about is that we are going to be berry-crazy again! Inside our house are too many berry monsters that I have to load the refrigerator with tons of berries all the time. They go bowlfuls!

The beauty of this cake is you can basically use any kind of berry. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries…One summer when I had too many blueberries, I decided to use them to make blueberry sauce to go with this cake. And OH MY GOD! Fluffy cake, fresh berry filling, pillowy whipped cream and sweet white chocolate coating. What a dream cake!

Ingredients (one 8-inch 3-layer cake):
Lemon Cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
Whipped Cream Icing
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Others
2/3 cup strawberry jam
1/2 cup chopped strawberries
20 fresh strawberries
2 cups grated white chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, whisk sour cream, lemon zest, juice and vanilla.
Beat butter and sugar together on medium speed in a bowl of a standing mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended.
Reduce the speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the sour cream mixture. Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining sour cream mixture. Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated.
Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans. Transfer pans to oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for about 10 minutes before inverting on rack. Let cool completely.
Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Place into the fridge to chill.
To assemble, place one cake layer on the serving late and spread with half of the strawberry jam. Gently spread a layer of whipped cream on top, and scatter half of the chopped strawberries. Top with another cake layer and repeat the jam, whipped cream and strawberries. Top with the final cake layer.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Press white chocolate around the sides of cake and place whole strawberries on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Before serving, sprinkle powdered sugar on top.