A Texas Hill Country Sweet Strawberry Sensation

Nothing can beat the tart, delectable taste of the juicy, sweet strawberries grown right here in the Texas Hill Country. This sweet strawberry treat is sure to be a sensational dessert for your family and friends, and just in time for Father’s Day to show dad how much you love him.

Strawberry Dream Cake

INGREDIENTS:

Ingredients for cake:

Shortening

Flour for pans

1 cup salted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, separated

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon table salt

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 containers of fresh strawberries (8 oz. each)

Dreamy Whipped Frosting

8 ounces container mascarpone cheese, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cups heavy whipping cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

Making Cake Layers:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease, with shortening, and flour 2 (9-inch) round 2 inch deep cake pans.  Beat the butter with heavy duty stand mixer on medium speed until fluffy; gradually adding sugar, beating well.  Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat on low speed just until blended after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.  Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  Fold one third of the egg whites into batter, fold in remaining egg whites in 2 batches. Pour mixture evenly into both cake pans and bake for about 28-32 minutes, at the end of this time check with toothpick for doneness.  Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire rack for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cut a thin slice from stem end of each of the whole strawberries (about 20-25) to form a flat base; set strawberries aside. Make dreamy whipped frosting; gently stir together the mascarpone cheese and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl.  Beat whipping cream and vanilla and almond extracts with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.  Fold one-third of the whipped cream mixture into cheese mixture, gently fold in remaining whipped cream mixture in 2 batches.  Place 1 cooled cake layer on a cake plate or serving platter, spread top with ¾ cup of frosting.  Working from the outer edge of the layer towards the middle, place strawberries, flat base side down and pointed tops up on top of frosted bottom layer.  Spoon bout 1 ½ cups frosting into a Ziploc plastic freezer bad; snip 1 corner to make a small hole.  Pipe frosting between strawberries, filling in spaces completely.  Gently spread about ¾ cup of the frosting on top of berries.  Place second cake layer on berry layer, spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.  Garnish with whole and sliced strawberries, if desired.

Recipe by Southern Living, May 2016