Cake, Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting

By Floridaberry

Makes 1 2 layer (8) inch cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup halved fresh strawberries*
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 (3-ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• White Chocolagte-Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
• Garnish: fresh whole strawberries

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Spray top of each parchment paper round wtih nonstick baking spray with flour.

2. In the container of a blender, place strawberry halves; process until smooth. (You should have 1/2 cup strawberry puree.)

3. In a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and gelatin; beat for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each additon. Add strawberry puree and vanilla, beating just until blended.

4. In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition.

5. Using a soup ladle, spoon batter evenly into prepared cake pans.

6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap cake layers in plastic wrap. Freeze layers until ready to frost.

7. To frost cake, unwrap cake layers. Spread White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on sides and top of cake. Garnish with fresh whole strawberrries, if desired. Store cake covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

* Substitute 1 cup frozen halved strawberries, thawed and well drained on paper towels, for the fresh strawberries, if desired.

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 5 cups

1 cup white chocolate morsels
1 (8-ounce package) cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package crem cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vnilla extract
1 (16-ounce) package confectioners' sugar

1. Melt chocolate according to package directions. Let stand for 5 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Gradually add confectioner's sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

Frost cake.