Raspberry Laced Vanilla Cake

Prep Time: 55 minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

Cake:
3 cups Pillsbury SOFTASILK® Cake Flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1-1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla
4 eggs
1 (12 ounce) cup Smucker's® Seedless Red Raspberry Jam

Frosting:
2 cups butter or margarine, at room temperature
7 1/2 cups powdered sugar, (2 pounds)
1 cup Smucker's® Red Raspberry Fruit Syrup
1 teaspoon clear vanilla
Fresh raspberries (optional)

Preparation Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans generously with no-stick spray with flour.

2. Mix cake flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; set aside. Beat softened butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Beat in flour mixture, milk, vanilla and eggs on medium speed until blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

3. Bake 19 to 23 minutes or until toothpickinserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely..

4. Beat room temperature butter and vanilla in mixer bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and syrup; blend until well combined. Place 1/2 cup frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip for piping.

5. Level cake layers as necessary. Cut each cake horiontally to make two layers by marking the side of cake with toothpicks and cutting with a long, thini serrated knife. Place 1 layer cut side up, on serving plate; spread with 1/3 of raspberry jam to within 1/4 inch of edge. Top with other half of layer, cut side down. Spread with raspberry cream frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost the sides and top of cake. Pipe remaining frosting on top of cake in a lattice pattern. Refrigerate cake to set frosting. Allow cake to stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with raspberries.