Southern Style Strawberry Cake

Oh my.  Oh my. Oh my.  I just don't know what else to say. 

Not only is this cake amazingly yummy BUT it is also amazingly beautiful (if I do say so myself!).  The lovely part about it is that it is VERY easy to make (yummy and beautiful...amazingly)..... :-)

I was browsing through one of my favorite blogs - Joy the Baker (not only is she a beauty but man o man does she make some lovely treats - GO check her out!!!) - looking for a dessert to make for Easter dinner and I came across a recipe that she called "Southern Style Strawberry Cake".  Oh yeah, yours truly didn't have to think twice! - that was going to be the cake I would make for Easter. Without a doubt.  It was a gorgeous cake AND it had strawberries in it......I was sold.  As I read through the remaining of Joy's post on "Southern Style Strawberry Cake" I discovered that she had found the recipe in a delightful cook-book titled Sweets - Soul food desserts & memories (which again made your's truly almost fall over backwards with happiness....what a title!).  Needless to say I quickly allowed my finger tips to bring me to amazon.com and I purchased the cook-book with out even thinking twice.  It was a good choice I made.  I now have Sweets the cook-book in my hands.  I am so happy to have it with me.  VERY  VERY happy.

Southern Style Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18.5 oz.) box WHITE cake mix (without pudding)

1 (3oz.) package strawberry jello

1 tbsp self-rising flour

4 tsp granulated sugar

3/4 cup oil (I used canola)

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix together cake mix, jello, flour and sugar in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Add in oil.  Now add in eggs, one at a time until well blended.

3. Add water and diced strawberries - mix well.

4. Divide batter evenly into three 8" round baking pans that have been well greased.  Because I don't have 8" baking pans (I know...it's a crime!) I used two 9" round pans.

5. Bake for 25-35 minutes - you will see that the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan...this means it is done.

6. Cool for 10 minutes and then gently remove cakes from pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8oz.) package of cream cheese, softened

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 (1lb) boxes of powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened coconut

pink/red food coloring - optional

strawberries to decorate finished cake

1. Combine softened cream cheese and butter - beat until soft and pliable and no lumps remain.

2. Add one box of powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract - beat until incorporated.  Add remaining box of powdered sugar until you achieve the consistency of frosting that you desire.  If it gets too thick add a splash of milk.  Mix well...it should be very light and fluffy.

3. Frost your layers of cake.

4. *Gently pat and sprinkle on the coconut to the cake (as seen in below picture). 

*If you wish to add a pink/red color to your coconut add a couple drops ontop of the coconut in a bowl and combine before applying to cake.

5. Now comes the fun part.....decorate with fresh stawberries to your heart's content.

Such a pretty pretty cake!!!!

Slice and enjoy!

Happy Southern Style Strawberry Cake Baking!

~avril :-)