The winner is......

Strawberry Cake. I wanted to do something different, and not to say that I am not a lover of chocolate cake, but the weather is finally starting to get warm here after a very cold and wet spring. I just wanted something that felt lighter and more spring-like. Plus the picture in the cookbook made me want to eat it. This is basically just a doctored up cake mix, though by the taste of it you would never guess that it is so.

The recipe called to make three 9" layers and although yes I have 9" cake pans I do not have 9" cake boards and I refuse to buy them for this one cake. Instead I just baked it in three 8" pans and it turned out a bit thicker, but still just as pretty. I topped mine with a strawberry butter cream and chocolate covered strawberries (one of my favorites).

Because the covered cake plate that we are using isn't tall enough to accommodate a three layer cake, we decided to suck it up and eat the third. You wouldn't want it to go to waste.  That would be horrible.

After I frosted the cake(s) I put them in the fridge to set up properly and I should have let it come back to room temperature before eating it, but I couldn't wait. Even cold it had great strawberry flavor and the color is just perfect. My boys they aren't so sure about eating a pink cake, but I am sure I can talk them into it.


Strawberry Cake
1 box white cake mix
3 oz strawberry flavored gelatin
4 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup oil
1/2 milk
1/2 cup diced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour (or spray) three 8" cake pans, set aside.

Mix on low until combined, then turn up to medium and beat for about 2 minutes. Divide among pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.

Let cool completely then frost.

Strawberry Butter cream
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 cup diced strawberries

Put butter in mixing bowl and beat until it is creamy, scrape down bowl and add in strawberries and powdered sugar. Mix on low until creamy. If it is to thick add a few more strawberries, to thin add a bit more powdered sugar. Mine ended up being to thin, and I ended up adding about 1 pound more powdered sugar. My strawberries were really juicy.

Frost and put in refrigerator to set. Bring to room temperature, about an hour, prior to serving.

Enjoy!!