Italian Cream Cake with Strawberries

By tempestteapot

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, room temp
• 2 c of sugar, divided
• 1 c of butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 c buttermilk (not low fat)
• 2 c flour
• 2 quarts ripe strawberries
• 1 recipe cream cheese frosting

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325F
Grease and flour 3 9-inch round cake pans
Separate eggs
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form
Add 1/2 c sugar gradually, beating until egg whites form stiff peaks
Set egg whites aside
Cream butter, remaining sugar (1 1/2 c), vanilla, and salt together
Add egg yolks one at a time beating well after each
Beat until the mixture resembles whipped cream
Stir baking soda into buttermilk
Stir flour and baking powder together
Add to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture
Fold in the egg whites carefully
Spoon the batter into the baking pans evenly
Bake for 40 minutes
Remove from oven and cool in pans for 5-10 minutes
Turn out and cool completely
Place one cooled layer on a cake plate
Spread with cream cheese frosting
Place a layer of sliced strawberries on the cream cheese and top with another cake layer.
Repeat
Stabilize layers with straws or wood skewers and frost with remaining cream cheese frosting
Place halved berries around the edge of cake and chill for three hours
Bring to room temperature before serving