Strawberries and Cream Cake

A spectacular, show-stopping three-layer strawberry cake filled with sweetened whipped cream and sliced strawberries and frosted with a luscious cream cheese frosting.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cake:
2 3/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 (3-ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup puréed strawberries

Filling:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 cups strawberries, quartered

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (1-pound) box powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Directions:

1. For Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Mix flour and baking powder together and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat sugar, gelatin and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.
4. Beat in flour and milk alternately. Fold in 1 teaspoon vanilla and puréed strawberries. Divide equally into three 9-inch round cake pans.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
6. For Filling: Beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract on high with electric mixer until stiff.
7. Fill each layer with 1/3 of the whipped cream and 3/4 cup sliced strawberries.
8. Frost sides of cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Pipe an edge of frosting around cake top.
9. For Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese until smooth. In separate bowl, combine sugar and butter; mix well. Add to cream cheese. Stir in vanilla and beat until smooth.
10. Spread remaining whipped cream on cake top. Top with quartered strawberries.

Makes 12 servings.