Strawberry Amaretto Cake

A spectacular three-layer strawberry cake, filled with an almond cream filling and sliced strawberries, and frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cake:
2 3/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 (4-serving) package vanilla-flavored instant pudding mix
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup Amaretto liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup puréed strawberries

Filling:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon almond 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, pudding and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.
4. Combine milk and Amaretto and add alternately with the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Fold in 1 teaspoon vanilla and the puréed strawberries. Divide batter 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, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond 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. Frost sides of cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Pipe an edge of frosting around cake top.
8. Spread remaining whipped cream on cake top. Top with quartered strawberries.
9. For Cream 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.

Makes 12 servings.