Lemon cake and then some

The other night I made this cake. 

Lemon cake layered with fruit. Raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. And lots of cream cheese frosting. 

Last night, I ate the second to the last piece. 

Then I ate the last piece. It looked so lonely on the plate.

I don't often do that, eat two pieces of cake in one sitting. But this cake was good. Not because I made it, but because lots of someones had made it before me. It's probably published in a cookbook somewhere. But these days I don't read a lot of cookbooks. These days I troll for the internet for recipes. Constantly. 

Yum, right? via Piece of Cake

I usually search by image. When I find something I like, I read the comments. I want to know what people think. The good and the bad. I'm not scanning paragraphs of comments to discover that someone used a half teaspoon of garlic instead of a quarter. Is anyone? I'm really interested in whether or not a particular recipe was worth the trouble. If some stranger, whose favorite dish might just be corned beef hash, would prepare the lobster risotto with roasted pine nuts a second time? If they would prepare it for their mother? or their best friend? 

I mean, a cold martini, a plate of warmed nuts and a thick slice of parmesan would do me right any night. Maybe two slices of parmesan laid across a halved and roasted fig. 

via Iowa Girl Eats

What I want to know is whether I should go with the known or the unknown? 
Most nights, I choose the unknown.
I have a family to feed.
They don't enjoy warmed nuts as much as I do.
Below is the lemon cake recipe. 

Cookbook first.

Lemon-Berry Shortcake Cake-with a few adjustments

For the cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the berries:
16 ounces frozen or fresh mixed berries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper, and lightly spray the paper, too.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the sour cream until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and stir in the dry ingredients until the batter is well-blended. Divide the batter equally between the two pans and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool and peeling off the parchment paper.

4. Place the berries in a large bowl. Add the sugar and stir well. Let sit for 15 minutes, then mash the berries a bit to release their juices.

5. Frosting, beat together all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth.

6. To assemble the cake, place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Pierce the top all over with a fork. Spoon half the berry mixture and its juices over the cake. Dollop half the frosting over the berries and smooth gently and evenly. Repeat with the second cake layer, remaining berries, and the rest of the frosting. 

Try not to lick your fingers. Lick the bowl.

Comment if you want. I promise I'll read it.