Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting 

Serving Size : 16

Prep time: 45 minutes; Cook time:  22-28 minutes; refrigerate 1 hour

Cake:

Vegetable shortening, for greasing pans

Flour, for dusting pans

1 white cake mix 

1 strawberry gelatin powder mix

1 c mashed, fresh strawberries, with juice 

      (about 1 ½ c whole berries)

1 c vegetable oil

½ c whole milk 

4 lg eggs

1 c frozen, unsweetened, grated coconut 

     (thawed)

½ c chopped pecans

Icing:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick salted butter, softened

3 ½ c powdered sugar, sifted

½ c mashed strawberries (¾ c whole berries)

½ c frozen, unsweetened, grated coconut

(thawed)

½ c pecans, chopped

16 pecan halves

16 whole strawberries

Prep work:

-Thaw coconut.

-Chop and mash strawberries for cake and icing. Keep separate.

-Chop pecans for cake and icing. Keep separate.

Cake:

• Place rack in center of oven. PH oven to 350°.

• Lightly grease 4 (square) 9” cake pans, then dust with sugar. Shake out excess sugar; set pans aside.

• In stand mixer bowl, combine cake mix, gelatin powder, mashed strawberries and juice, oil, milk and eggs on low for 1 minute.

• Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with silicone spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium; beat 2 more minutes, scraping sides down as needed. The strawberries should be well blended into the batter.

• Fold coconut and pecans into batter with silicone spatula.

• Divide the batter equally among the four prepared plans; place them in the oven.

• Bake cakes until they are light brown, and just start to pull away from the sides of the pans, 22 to 28 minutes. Rotate the pans on the top rack to the bottom and vice versa halfway through baking. Be careful not to overbake the layers on the highest rack.

• Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edge of each layer and invert each layer onto a rack, then again, onto another rack, so that cakes are all right side up.

• Allow layers to cool completely, 30 minutes or more.

  Frosting:

• While cake is cooling, wash and completely dry the mixing bowl. Prepare the icing by combining the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer bowl with whisk attachment on low speed for about 30 seconds.

• Add the sugar and strawberries. Continue to mix the frosting on low, until the sugar has been fully incorporated. Raise the speed to medium and mix the icing another minute or until it lightens and is well combined.

• Assembly and icing cake:

• Place one cake layer, right side up, on a large serving platter. Spread the top with icing. Add another cake layer, right side up and frost the top of that layer. Repeat this process with the third and fourth layers. If desired, use remaining frosting to frost the sides, working with clean, smooth strokes. (Can leave sides unfrosted, or make a “naked cake.”

• Top with coconut, and chopped pecans. Place strawberries on top of cake, as a cutting guide.

• Refrigerate for at least an hour, so frosting can set.

  
  

⭐️ Cover cake with wax paper in store in refrigerator for up to one week. Or Wrap individual slices in freezer paper, and store and Ziploc freezer bags for up to six months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before serving.