It's no fat, no sugar, no dairy... It's no good, throw it out.” ~ Will on Friends

I am a lazy cook. Really. I love making food from scratch, but if I can find a product that is just as good as scratch, I'll use it. That's the way it is with me when I bake cakes.

Oh, I've baked cakes from scratch, and cupcakes, and muffins, and pies. I have a Burnt Almond Cake I want to try and it will have to be made from scratch. But, if the final product tastes as good when I use a boxed cake mix, why not? That's why I keep several boxed cake mixes in my pantry. It's easy to throw a cake of some sort together when I'm in a hurry. And, I am picky about my cake mixes. I will only use Duncan Hines.

I saw this cake on a television program, I think on the Food Channel, but I don't even remember which program I was watching. I know it was a long time ago because I have been making this cake for a long time. Besides my chocolate flan cake (also made with a chocolate cake mix), this is the cake that is most requested by my in-laws.

Oh, yes, and when I bake this cake with my 6-year-old granddaughter, Hagan, I have to buy two containers of strawberries because she inevitably will eat one whole box by herself.

Strawberry Cake
by Terri Powers for Terri's Table

1 Duncan Hines Strawberry Cake Mix
1 teaspoon strawberry flavoring
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese (I used low fat ... I know, what's the point??)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 small jar strawberry preserves
1 container fresh strawberries

Bake the cake according to the directions on the package, except add the teaspoon of strawberry flavoring with the other liquid ingredients and bake in either 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans. Allow to cool completely.

Clean and remove the stems from the strawberries. Set aside.

Make the frosting by first combining the butter and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and slightly fluffy. Add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture a half a cup at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition, until you have used the 2 cups. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Set aside.

To assemble the cake, first cut both layers in half horizontally with a long serrated knife. You should now have four layers. Place the first layer on the cake plate and spread a thin layer of strawberry preserves over the entire layer.



Do the same for the next two layers, spreading a thin layer of preserves over each one.



Top with the final layer and frost the cake with the Cream Cheese Frosting.

Slice the fresh strawberries and arrange the slices around the outside and on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.