Pretty little Miss
Strawberry
Cake Serves 16
Ingredients
For the cake:
Cold butter and flour for greasing
pans
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking
powder
3 oz. strawberry gelatin
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups fresh
strawberries, mashed and juice reserved (1 cup total)
1 cup vegetable
oil
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup unsweetened coconut,
grated
1/2 cup chopped pecans
For the
Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup
butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3/4 cup fresh
strawberries, mashed to 1/2 cup and drained well
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut,
grated 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8" or 9"
cake pans.
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Add powdered strawberry gelatin.
In a separate bowl, mix oil and sugar
until completely combined. Add eggs one at a time, and blend completely each
time. In another bowl, blend vanilla, milk, and strawberries.
Alternate
adding dry ingredients and strawberry mixture to oil mixture, beginning and
ending with the dry ingredients. Use a hand mixer on low speed until batter is
fluffy and strawberries are thoroughly blended. Fold in coconut and pecans. Pour
batter evenly into pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until knife placed in the
center comes out clean.
Remove cakes from pans after initial cooling,
about 10 minutes. Then place cakes on racks and allow to cool completely, about
30-40 minutes more.
To make the frosting: Blend room temperature cream
cheese and butter in a medium bowl using electric mixer until completely
combined. Add sugar and strawberries, and beat on low until combined. Then beat
on medium until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in coconut and
pecans.
Once cake is frosted and assembled, decorate cake with lovely
pink tiny roses or little pink baby toys.