Happy Birthday Strawberry Cake from Scratch

Crazy Strawberry Birthday Cake 

So instead of buying a birthday cake for my fiance I decided to make one. It's not like I had much choice considering their birth date falls four days past Christmas and I hadn't pre-ordered.

Every time I make a cake it ends up looking a bit bizarre. I got this recipe from AllRecipes.com and it IS slightly altered to fit my flair.

Ingredients:
 2 10 inch cake pans
 2 cups white sugar 
 2/3 (2 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O® 
 1 cup butter, softened 
 4 eggs (room temperature) 
 2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour 
 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
 1 cup whole milk, room temperature 
 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
 1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries

Stirring it all together

  

Directions

1. Sit everything out for about 5+ hours before starting so that it reaches room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Use olive oil PAM and spray the cake pans, add a significant coating of flour afterwards.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Pour and divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a straw or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely.

I used a round cardboard cake mat to sit the cake on while decorating. Surprisingly it moved just like a cake wheel and spun when I needed. It is best to raise it above the counter surface using a plate or cutting board underneath. 

Fresh from the pan

Ready for decorating

So, all in all the cake ended up being a success. Some might think it looks crazy.. OK it does look strange but everyone liked it and it tasted great. 

Hopefully by next time my cake writing skills will have improved.

Final Product !