Strawberry Milk Cake

4th iteration
Cake
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

2/3 c. scalded milk
1/4 c. butter

3 c. fresh strawberry puree
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pink food dye powder

Frosting
1 package cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 package gelatin

Oven at 350°
Butter and grease 2 9-inch round cake pans.
Wash and hull the strawberries.  Use a blender or food processor to puree them until you have 3 c. of puree.  From that take 1/3 c. and set aside. This will be mixed into the milk for the liquid part of the cake.
Cream the eggs, sugar and vanilla.
In separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, pink food dye powder.
Measure a half cup of milk and combine with the half cup of strawberry puree.  In a small pot, heat until it's nearly boiling, then remove from heat.  Cut in the butter and let it melt.

Beat the flour mix into the egg mix.  Add in the milk and strawberry mixture.  Blend well until it's a thick batter.  Pour evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 35 minutes or until firm

Remove from heat and pans, let the cakes cool completely before preparing the frosting.

Frosting Preparation
This frosting uses the gelatin as a stabilizer.  It will set sort of like jell-o and needs to be sculpted onto the cake relatively soon after mixing.  Once it sets, you can't really un-set it and re-sculpt.

Begin beating the cream cheese with the sugar, almond extract and vanilla until it's loose and whipped.  Pour in the cream and beat on high until stiff peaks start forming.  In a separate bowl, put 2 tbsp of water and gently sprinkle the contents of the gelatin pouch into it.  Let it sit for a minute or two and 'bloom'.  Mix it around, add another tsp of water if needed to get it into a semi-paste like consistency.  Microwave for 8-10 seconds to liquefy it.  Do NOT get this too hot!

Mix the liquified gelatin into the whipped cream frosting mix and continue beating on high until it starts stiffening up and not running.  It's now ready to frost the cake.

Assembly
Using a long bread knife, carefully slice the two cakes in half length-wise.  This will give you 4 thin layers of cake.  Place the first layer on the serving platter and then pour half of the remaining strawberry puree over it.  spread it evenly.  Place another layer of cake.

Put a generous layer of frosting on top of the second layer of cake.  I make it about 1/2 an inch thick.  spread evenly.  Place another layer of cake (the third).  On top of that spread the remaining strawberry puree.  Add the last layer of cake.  Dollop-out the rest of the frosting.  It should be light and easily spreadable, but hold its shape thanks to the gelatin.  Spread evenly over the top and coat the sides. 

Slice up whole strawberries and decorate the top of the cake with them.  Serve after chilling for an hour.  

This cake freezes exceptionally well.  Slice it up into pieces and it can be stored for several months with pieces of wax paper separating the pieces.

3rd iteration

Cake
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c. scalded milk
1/4 c. butter

3 c. fresh strawberry puree (minus 1/2 c. to be mixed w/ milk)
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pink food dye powder

Frosting
1 package cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 package gelatin

2nd iteration

Cake
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 c. scalded strawberry milk
1/4 c. butter

3 c. fresh strawberry puree
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pink food dye powder

Frosting
1 package cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
2 c. heavy whipping cream