Strawberry shortcake cake

This cake was the perfect summer cake, and the winner of all sweets competitions in our household this summer. I always use as little sugar as I can get away with, and this cake did not disappoint. Best served fresh, it will be a show-stopping beauty!

Ingredients

cake layers:

330g cake flour

150g sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

0.5 tsp salt

170g butter softened

3 eggs at room temp

1 cup milk at room temp

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

filling:

12 oz softened cream cheese

0.5 cup sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp vanilla extract

2.5 cups heavy cream

strawberries:

2 pounds strawberries

3 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a Kitchenaid on low. Blend in the butter until evenly mixed in.

Add in the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition to build structure.

Mix the milk with the extracts and beat in 1/3 cup at a time for 2 minutes after each addition.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until center is set.

Halve about 12 of the strawberries. Chop the rest and mix with the sugar.

Beat the cream cheese with the sugar in one bowl, until fluffy. Add the lemon juice and extract and salt and mix well.

Beat the whipped cream in another bowl and combine with cream cheese, adding it little by little to the cheese mix, beating after each step.

Cut the cake layers in half. 

Spread 1/4 of the cream cheese frosting on a layer, rim with halved berries, then place 1/3 of the berry filling in the center and spread to the berry rim. Repeat until the top layer, which only gets cream cheese and some decorative berry slices. Refrigerate before serving!