Cake Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 4 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Alternatively, cake batter can be equally divided and baked in twos or ones if you don’t have enough cake pan. Cut parchment paper circles to cover the bottom of cake pans then spray again with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. With the mixer on low, slowly beat in chunks of shortening and butter. Turn mixer to medium and beat until mixture has small crumbs.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the mixture into dry ingredients. Turn mixer to medium and beat until incorporated; about 1 minute. Whip down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and stir to mix.
6. Evenly pour cake batter into the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake in oven 30-45 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow cakes to cool then remove from cake pans and place on a cooling rack. Level cake tops with a long serrated knife; removing dome tops. The knife should be as parallel as possible.
For the Frosting
1. Cream butter, cream cheese, and mascarpone until light and fluffy. Then add the salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and confectioners’ sugar and mix to combine.
2. In a separate bowl, whip together the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Make sure not to over mix because it will become grainy and change the texture and appearance of your frosting.
3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.
4. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate and take out 10 minutes to bring to room temperature before applying to the cake.
5. For the strawberry filling, pour the 2 13.5 ounce containers in a bowl. Reserve the remaining 13.5-ounce container to dip the strawberries in later.
Cake Assembly
1. Place cake on cake board. This will make it easy to chill in the refrigerator instead of making room for an entire cake stand.
2. Pipe or spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake layer.
3. Fill a pastry bag with strawberry glaze. In the center of the cake, make a small circle with the glaze.
4. Fill a pastry bag with cream frosting. Next, make a circle with the cream frosting around the glaze. Repeat with strawberry glaze and once more with cream frosting.
5. Repeat frosting/glaze technique with cake layers 2 and 3. Add the top cake layer.
6. Roughly spread frosting all over the cake to create crumb coating. Refrigerate cake; 30 minutes.
7. Frost cake with frosting, using a cake spatula to evenly spread frosting. Use a cake comb to create the pattern on the cake.
8. With any remaining frosting, pipe frosting around cake bottom. Use a medium frosting tip to pipe 6 dollops on top.
9. Dip 7 strawberries in the strawberry glaze. Place around cake top and one in the center. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.
10. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Calories:1179kcal | Carbohydrates:97g | Protein:12g | Fat:84g | Saturated Fat:48g | Polyunsaturated Fat:5g | Monounsaturated Fat:15g | Trans Fat:2g | Cholesterol:230mg | Sodium:422mg | Potassium:249mg | Fiber:1g | Sugar:76g | Vitamin A:2525IU | Vitamin C:19mg | Calcium:211mg | Iron:2mg