TRIPLE-DECKER STRAWBERRY CAKE

For a few years now I have had the book, The Cake Doctor, sitting on my kitchen bookcase. Today I finally cracked open the book and baked the Triple-Decker Strawberry Cake. It was a hit.

The Cake Doctor by Anne Byrn contains recipes that dress-up basic boxed cake mixes. I normally turn all layered cakes into single layer cakes but this time since I was baking the
cake for my niece, Ellie, I decided to honor the recipe and make three layers.

It is such a pretty cake and so delicious. It is also easy to put together. But because it is so good I had to get it out of my house! So, Lori took some cake home, Sheli stopped by and she got a wedge, and then I delivered the remainder to Jennifer and Chris. It's good to have friends who appreciate leftovers!

Here is the yummy recipe:

Triple-Decker Strawberry Cake

Cake:

Spray vegetable shortening for greasing the pans

Flour for dusting the pans

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix

1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean or sunflower

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

4 large eggs

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries and juice

Frosting:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, or more if needed

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries and juice, or more if needed
Garnish:1 cup halved fresh strawberries

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Lightly grease three 9-inch round cake pans with spray vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.

Place the cake mix, strawberry gelatin, flour, oil, sugar, milk, eggs and strawberries and juice in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The strawberries should be well blended into the batter. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and place them in the oven. If your oven is not large enough, place two pans on the center rack and place the third pan in the center of the highest rack.

Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger and just start to pull away from the sides of the pan, 33 to 35 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the layer on the highest oven rack. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl and blend it with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 20 seconds. Stop the machine and add 4 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/2 cup strawberries and juice. Blend on low speed until the frosting is creamy and of a spreadable consistency. If it is too thin, add more sugar. If it is too thick, add more strawberries.

To assemble, place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Add another layer, right side up, on top of the first and frost the top. Repeat this process with the third layer and frost the top; the cake should now resemble a torte with the sides left unfrosted. Decorate the top attractively with the halved strawberries. Serve at once or chill the cake for later serving.

Serves 16.