Inspired Strawberry Cake

by Marjan
Valentine is around the corner and I am excited to share with you my recipe for a unique, stunning, delicious strawberry cake for your beloved! Nothing reflects how much you care or love someone more than baking a decadent dessert! Memory of this eye-catching delicious cake will last a life time!

Strawberries will not be in season for another couple of months; therefore when in season, make this dessert completely from scratch using fresh strawberries. But since winter is still lingering, you can 'cheat' and take a short cut using strawberry gelatin to make this decadent, delicious, moist, sweet dessert.

Whipped cream nestled between layers of fluffy cake and wrapped in a stunning strawberry gelatin makes this recipe a complete dessert! You will definitely impress your beloved with this unique and delicious cake. Best part is it can be made a couple of days in advance so you can take your time and serve an equally inspiring dinner!
Hope you win the heart of the one you love twice over with my Strawberry Cake!

Serves 6-8
Ingredients:

Cake:

4 eggs; room temperature 

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

1/3 cup tablespoon all-purpose flour
** Baking spray oil or butter and flour to grease baking pan

Strawberry Jello Gelatin:
2 3oz. packets of Strawberry Flavor Jello Package

Whipped Cream:
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon rose water (optional)

Any seasonal fruit or flowers for decoration

Two 8.5 inch cake pans  and One 9" spring form cake pans

Preheat oven to 350° F at center rack.

Grease cake pan generously with cooking spray oil or butter with flour.

Using a electric mixer, mix eggs and sugar at medium high for 3 minutes until light in color. Add vanilla and increase speed to high and continue to beat for additional 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add flour; mix only until blended (20-30 seconds). DO NOT OVER MIX! Immediately pour 1/2 of cake batter in one pan and the other 1/2 in remaining pan.  Bake for 15 minutes or until center is baked.

Remove and cool completely.

Meanwhile, follow package instructions for making gelatin. Set aside to cool completely.

In a cold medium size mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip cream until trails appear and thick. Add powdered sugar and rose water (if using) and mix for another minute.

Make certain springform pan is tightly sealed. Place 2-3 tablespoons of whip cream on the inside edge of the wall and bottom of the pan to seal the edges of the springform. Use your fingers to ensure there are not holes or gaps (using the cream as a barrier to prevent the fruit juice from slowly seeping out). Unfortunately springform pans leak! Therefore, placing the cream at the junction of the ring and bottom of the pan will help.

Make room in freezer to cool gelatin exterior of cake.

Using a heavy duty aluminum foil, place foil on the outside bottom of the pan and roll sides up towards the wall. Firmly seal foil to the bottom and walls. Place one of two cakes in the center of springform pan (5 mm of space will remain surrounding cake to pan wall).

Starting from the center, spoon whipped cream to cover cake; making certain to leave approximately 2-3 mm of edge of cake without cream.

Top with second layer of cake. Lightly push on top of cake to even out cream in between and level cake (don't push too firmly). Using a large spoon, pour gelatin mix to fill space between the walls of cake and pan 1/3 to 1/2 way up. Pour 4-5 large heaping spoons of gelatin mix over the top of the cake and spread to cover entire area. The juice will be absorbed into the cake (this step will prevent the juice from becoming absorbed into the cake when remaining gelatin mix is poured over entire cake). Immediately, place cake in freezer for 30 minutes.

Remove cake from freezer and pour remaining gelatin mix over the cake to cover remaining walls and top. Place back in the freezer for additional 15 minutes and transfer to fridge for 6 hrs or overnight.

To serve, carefully and gently use a thin flat knife to separate gelatin layer from walls of springform cake ring. Remove ring as to not damage walls of cake. Transfer cake to serving platter. Decorate with desired fresh flowers or fruit; place back in the fridge until ready to serve.