Kittencal's Strawberry Shortcake

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 pints fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced, or use as much as desired)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• sweetened whipped cream (use any amount desired for middle and top of the cake)
• 1 cup butter, room temperature (no substitutions)
• 1 cup sugar (for a sweeter cake use more sugar)
• 4 large eggs (must be room temperature)
• 1/4 cup luke-warm milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (or use strawberry extract)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Recipe

• 1 wash and remove the stems from each berry then slice.
• 2 place the sliced berries into a glass bowl, add in 3/4 - 1 cup cup sugar (the more sugar the better) toss with a spoon until well coated (the sugar will dissolve when chilled).
• 3 cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 6 hours.
• 4 generously grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
• 5 in a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed cream together the butter and sugar until well blended (about 3 minutes).
• 6 add in eggs and extracts beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes or until no sugar granules remain in the mixture.
• 7 add in milk; mix until combined.
• 8 in a small bowl mix the flour with baking powder and add to the creamed mixture; beat until combined.
• 9 divide and spread the batter between the two prepared baking pans (batter will be thick!).
• 10 set oven to 350°f (set oven rack to second-lowest position).
• 11 bake for about 22 minutes or until cakes test done (do not overbake cakes).
• 12 cool the cakes slightly in pan then invert each cake a plate to cool completely.
• 13 place half of the strawberries with a little juice over the top of one cake, then dollop half of the whipped cream.
• 14 top with the other cake, then strawberries and top with remaining whipped cream.