Quick & Easy Decadent Strawberry Cake

Sunday, April the 5th is Mr.P's birthday! 50 years! 50 years of joys, trials, wonderful memories and living life to the fullest. Mr.P has been a great blessing to our family and our lives have been enriched because of him and what he stands for. We will celebrate his birth, his life and our love. I do love Mr.P!

This is the birthday cake Mr.P always asks for.... it is REALLY sweet, especially the frosting. He loves it and I make it just for him. He deserves every bit and MORE besides. From his birthday it is only a short 10 days until the tax deadline! Did I mention my husband is a CPA? Poor Mr.P never gets to enjoy his birthday until after April the 15th! I'm sure this cake will pull him through! 

STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE
Using a cake mix and jello, this Strawberry cake is one of the easiest layer cakes I make —
and also the most requested. Easy and delicious? That's for me!
SERVES 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup frozen strawberries packed in light syrup, thawed
• 1 (16.25-ounce) box Strawberry cake mix
• 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry Jell-O
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• Strawberry Buttercream Frosting, recipe follows
• Fresh sliced strawberries for garnish, optional

WHAT TO DO

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) round metal cake pans. Line with wax paper that has been greased and floured as well. Set aside.
• Drain strawberries, reserving the juice for frosting. 
• Combine cake mix and strawberry Jell-O in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add oil, eggs and drained strawberries. 
• Mix well on low for 30 seconds, then medium for 2 minutes, scraping sides as necessary.
• Divide the batter equally among the 3 prepared pans and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. 
• Remove from oven; cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks. Cool cake rounds completely.
• Frost with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting and garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
INGREDIENTS

• 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup strawberry juice (reserved from frozen strawberries in cake batter)
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds powdered sugar

WHAT TO DO

• Using an electric mixer, mix the butter, juice and sugar together on low until blended. Then cream on high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl as necessary.   
• Place a cooled layer of cake on your cake stand, add a layer of frosting; spread out. Repeat; ice sides and top of cake. 
• Refrigerate.

TIP: I add wooden skewers to my cakes before I ice the sides and top. This prevents my cakes from sliding while I'm icing them and they end up being straight and even without much effort. If you'd like to try this: Measure your wooden skewer and cut off excess with a pair of wire cutters. Position them evenly through your cake and press them all the way in to your cake. I use two to three skewers in my cakes. 

THE DOMESTIC CURATOR

RONDA