Triple-Decker Strawberry Cake

Jesus is the same yesterday & today & forever!  Hebrews 13:8

This cake is made with fresh strawberries and is a perfect dessert for a spring gathering!  

1 (18.25 oz) package white cake mix

1 (3 oz.) package strawberry jello

4 large eggs

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. finely chopped fresh strawberries

1/2 C. milk

1/2 C. vegetable oil

1/3 C. flour

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Garnish with whole strawberries (optional)

Frosting:

1 C. butter, softened

1 (32 oz.) package powdered sugar

1 C. finely chopped strawberries

1/4 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat cake mix and next 7 ingredients at medium speed with electric mixer until well-blended.  Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Strawberries should be well blended into the mix.

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake for 23 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger.  Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes and let cool 1 hour or until cools completely.

To prepare frosting:  beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy.  Add all other ingredients; beat at low speed until creamy.  (Add more sugar if frosting is too thin, or add more strawberries if too thick.)

Spread icing between layers and on top and sides of cake.  Serve or chill up to one week. (If making ahead, chill uncovered for 20 minutes or until icing is set.  Then cover with seran wrap.  You can also cover it with foil and freeze it for up to 6 months.  Thaw in fridge for 24 hours before serving). 

Serves lots! 

adapted from Southern Living

Tips:

I've looked at a lot of strawberry cake recipes online and they are all about the same, but some call for frozen strawberries.  I'd for sure use fresh.  They are on sale all the time lately at Publix!  I'm still trying to figure out my new oven but it cooks SUPER fast... mine only took 15-18 minutes to cook.  If you have some sort of food chopper, I'd use that to finely chop the strawberries because you want them very small to blend in.  You can do it in a blender but just don't turn it to total liquid.  You will need just 1 small carton of strawberries to make this and more if you wish to garnish the cake with them.

As for frosting, I have mentioned this before with the chocolate/peanut butter cake but chill your cake.  Then frost between the layers and do a very thing layer of frosting all over the cake to bind the loose crumbs.  Chill it again and then apply the rest of the icing.  It will look much prettier.  You can also have fun with it if you have decorating tips like I did on mine.  If you do that, you will have to stop a few times in the process and put the cake and extra icing in the fridge to firm it back up so that it doesn't slide down the side of the cake.  

The icing is SO creamy and DELICIOUS!  If you are pinched for time just use this icing on a box mix of cake.   

We like it served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. You can't go wrong either way!