Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting!!

The other day in the store I picked up a cooking with Paula magazine! I love her show and I love her food. She is from Savannah Georgia where a lot of my family lives so I thought I would see what her magazine is all about. The very first thing that caught my eye in there was this recipe! However we were in the process of moving and I couldn't cook anything because my kitchen was all packed up. That is also the reason for not posting any blogs recently.

So by the time I got my kitchen all set up after the move this past Sunday I was itching to cook so bad. I found some chicken tenders in the freezer and marinaded them with lemon pepper and made some cease pasta salad to go with but that still didn't quite fix my itch to cook. So we went grocery shopping Monday morning to stock the house with food and I was ready to cook!!!

Picked up some steaks and marinaded them in mesquite for about 3 hours and in the mean time I whipped up some potato salad and broccoli salad and I just couldn't resist this cake anymore! It is so moist and oh so YUMMY!!! I just had to share with everyone!!

Strawberry Cake:

• 1 cup fresh strawberries (frozen is alright if you cant get fresh must be thawed and well drained)
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3oz package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 8 inch round cake pans and flour.
2. In a blender puree strawberries until smooth. You should have 1/2 cup when finished.
3. In a mixer beat butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and gelatin and beat for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between. Add strawberry puree and vanilla beating until blended.
4. In a medium bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with milk.
5. Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap layers in plastic wrap and freeze until your ready to frost your cake.

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 cup white chocolate morsels
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 11oz packages cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 16oz package confectioners sugar

1. Put white chocolate morsels and oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and heat for another 15 seconds until it stirs smooth.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Frost your cake, spread frosting between layers and on sides and top of the cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries if you desire.