Strawberry Shortcake Cake + Grand Marnier Soaked Strawberries

Ingredients

Cake:

3 cups cake flour (or all purpose flour will work...but cake flour will make your cakes super light) 

2 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 eggs, room temperature

1 ¼ cup whole milk, room temperature

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberries:

4 cups fresh strawberries, mashed

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup grand marnier

Whipped Cream:

3 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup powdered sugar

4 tablespoons vanilla extract or paste 

PREP TIME: 4 HOURS (INCLUDING CAKE COOLING TIME) | COOK TIME: 35 MINUTES | SERVINGS: 8-10

1.Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease 2 round cake pans. Set aside.

2. Using your stand mixer or handheld, beat the butter and sugar together on medium high speed for 3-4 minutes.

3. In a small bowl whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla. In another large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Scrape down the sides of the mixer and add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/3 of the milk mixture. Continue alternating the flour mixture and milk mixture additions, ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.

4. Pour the batter evenly into the greased cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cakes are golden brown and cooked through. Remove cakes from oven and let sit in pans for 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool completely.

5. While cakes are cooling, place the mashed strawberries in a large bowl, toss with the sugar and grand marnier and let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.

6. To make the whipped cream: Using your stand mixer or hand held, add the cream, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium high speed until stiff peaks occur.

7. Once cakes have cooled completely, carefully cut each cake layer in half.

8. Time to assemble. Place on cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Cover with 1/4 of the strawberries and 1 cup of the whipped cream. Repeat with remaining cake layers, strawberries and whipped cream.

Enjoy y’all!