📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper circles. This is super important, trust me. I once skipped this and ended up with half a cake stuck to the pan!
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Trust me, you don't want clumps of baking powder in your cake. That happened to me once, and it wasn't pretty!
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. I usually mix it for about 3-5 minutes, or until it looks like whipped cream. Don't rush this step, it makes a big difference!
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. We don't want any eggy surprises!
5. In a separate bowl, mash the strawberries with a fork until you have a chunky puree. This will be the secret to our hidden hearts!
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix! Overmixing will result in a tough cake.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Honestly, the hardest part is waiting for them to cool!
8. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the strawberry filling. In a saucepan, combine the sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have softened and the mixture has thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Feel free to sneak a taste, I always do!
9. Once the cakes are completely cool, use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out a heart from the center of one of the cake layers. Save the heart cutout, we'll need it later!
10. Place the cake layer with the heart cutout on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread the strawberry filling evenly over the top of the cake. Now, carefully place the heart cutout from the second cake layer into the heart-shaped hole in the bottom layer. This is where the magic happens!
11. For the frosting, in a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
12. Frost the entire cake with the cream cheese frosting, making sure to cover the sides and top evenly. Decorate with fresh strawberries, if desired. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the frosting to set and the flavors to meld together. Enjoy your masterpiece!