Strawberry Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 box strawberry cake mix
• (or you could make a homemade cake and pink color gel)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp strawberry extract, optional

For the filling

• 1/2 cup thin strawberry slices, plus more to garnish the top
• 1/4 cup seedless strawberry jam

For the frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp strawberry extract (or vanilla if you can't find strawberry!)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 4 eggs.
3. Grease two 9" cake pans and pour batter evenly in both.
4. Bake for 28-31 minutes. Let cool.
5. When cakes are cool, spread strawberry jam on the top of one cake and place strawberry slices in a single layer on top of the jam.
6. Set the second cake on top.
7. With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar.
8. When the mixture is smooth, add strawberry extract and whipping cream.
9. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
10. Frost cake and decorate with extra strawberry pieces