Red, White, and Blue Layer Cake

 This cake was so good. Every part. Even though we left it to dry out for two days before eating!

 So this is a pretty amazing (not to mention delicious!)

 "I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane" (I wish!)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup(s) cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder

3/4 teaspoon(s) salt

1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda

3/4 cup(s) butter, softened

1 1/2 cup(s) sugar

2 tablespoon(s) sugar

1 cup(s) strawberry preserves

4 eggs

3/4 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions 

Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly coat the pan with butter, dust with flour, and tap out excess. Set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together and set aside. Cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl using a mixer set at medium-high speed. Add the eggs one at a time. Separate the batter, putting half into another bowl. Add 3/4 cup preserves. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in vanilla extract and the food coloring. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with a final addition of the dry ingredients. Divide the batter equally between the pans and spread evenly. Bake on the middle rack of oven until a tester inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean -- about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.  Slice both cakes in half. Alternate spreading extra preserves and frosting on cake. Frost cake.

Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Combine until fluffy.