Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake

Serves 16

On the 4th of July, use some blueberries to make a square in the upper left hand corner of the cake, and then stripe with strawberries - viola, an American flag!

ingredients

1 box butter-recipe golden cake mix (1 lb. 2.5 oz.)
3 large eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (10 oz.) frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
4 cups chilled whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
3 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

directions

1
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Using electric mixer, beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, and butter in large bowl until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Transfer batter to pan. Bake cake until golden and ester inserted into center comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.
2
Puree thawed berries with syrup in processor. Beat cream with sugar in large bowl until medium peaks form. Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Transfer bottom half of cake, cut side up, to platter. Spread 1 cup strawberry puree over cake (puree will soak into cake). Arrange 1.5 cups sliced berries in single layer atop strawberry puree on cake. Spread 2 cups whipped cream over strawberries. Top with second half of cake, cut side down. Spread remaining strawberry puree over top of cake.
3
Spoon 1.5 cups whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. (Sometimes, I just smooth it on with a spatula.) Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Pipe cream decoratively on top edge of cake. Garnish cake top and sides with sliced berries. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead; refrigerate.)

Source: Magazine