Randalla's Most Requested Strawberry Cake

This cake became an overnight sensation at my restaurant.  One sunday evening I made this cake and took it to the restaurant on Monday.  by the end of that day we had orders for five cakes.  So I mad two more to have in the shop for the next days lunch crowd.  At the end of Tuesday we had 17 orders for the cake.  by the time the weekend came, we had made over 30 cakes.  Mothers Day was a few weeks away, and we baked and iced over 175 strawberry cakes!

If the berries are very ripe you should assemble the cake the day you are planning to serve it. It is helpful to cut the cakes and freeze them. Be sure to wrap in platic wrap- not foil. I garnished the top of these cakes with sliced berries that I would "flower" out like petals, with a whole berry that had been garnished like a fan placed in the middle. I used homemade frosting, and you can make your own if you wish. This cake is always a hit! You can find strawberry nectar at hispanic markets or in the juice isle at Walmart. Here you go!!!

Cake:
Butter, for greasing pans
Flour, for flouring pans
1 (18.25-ounce) box strawberry cake mix
1 (11.5-ounce) can strawberry nectar
3 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Filling and Frosting:
1 pound fresh strawberries, cleaned
1 cup strawberry jam , divided
2 (16-ounce) container strawberry frosting  ( I make my own- See below)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Combine cake mix, nectar, eggs, and oil in large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on cooling racks for 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling rack and cool completely.
Thinly slice enough strawberries to yield 1 1/4 cups. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half, forming 4 layers in total. Place 1 cake layer, cut side down, on a serving platter. Spread 1/3 cup jam over top of cake layer. Arrange 1/4 cup of sliced strawberries in a single layer atop jam. Top with second cake layer, cut side down. Repeat layering with jam and sliced strawberries. Top with third cake layer, cut side down. Repeat layering with jam and sliced strawberries. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread frosting evenly over top and sides of cake to coat completely* Arrange remaining 1/2 cup sliced strawberries and 1 whole strawberry decoratively atop cake. Refrigerate cake for 40 minutes. Serve cake with remaining whole strawberries.
*  you can crumb coat the cake, i.e. a very thin layer of frosting that you let set up for a few minutes in the fridge (20 min) and then finish frosting with no crumby mess!

Icing

 

ingrEDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon strawberry extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons milk a dab of red food paste to color icing to pink

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, cream together the butter,  and strawberry extract. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.