Serves 8
FOR THE CAKE
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or seeds from ½ vanilla bean)
2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
¾ cup whole milk, at room temperature
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
FOR THE TOPPINGS AND FILLING
1½ quarts strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon strawberry jelly
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ cups cold heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter an 8-inch-round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
Make the cake: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the melted butter, vanilla bean paste, eggs, milk and lemon zest in a medium bowl until just smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out of the pan onto the rack and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the toppings and filling: Halve 16 strawberries. Whisk 1 tablespoon water and the strawberry jelly in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the halved strawberries and toss to coat; set aside. Thinly slice the remaining strawberries, then toss with 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and the lemon juice in another medium bowl; set aside. Beat the heavy cream, the remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to assemble.
Carefully cut the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half cut-side up on a platter. Drizzle the juices from the sliced berries over the cut sides of both cake halves. Fold a few tablespoons of the whipped cream into the sliced berries; spoon over the bottom cake layer. Cover with the other cake layer, then top with the remaining whipped cream. Top with the halved strawberries and their juices.