Vanilla Layer Cake with Strawberries

I modified the candy bar cake into a strawberry layer cake that has been a huge hit. I am now known in my circle of friends as the cake lady. For little girls' birthdays I sometimes add food coloring to the frosting for a more festive look. Otherwise, the white frosting with the bright red strawberries is beautiful. I get asked for the recipe every time I make it.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 594 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package golden vanilla cake mix

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.

Step 2

Beat cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla pudding mix together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until just blended. Scrape the bowl, increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until batter is smooth, about 4 minutes. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4

Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and white sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; fold in whipped topping until frosting is smooth.

Step 5

Place 1 cake on a serving platter. Spread frosting on top of the cake; top frosting with a layer of strawberries. Place 1 cake atop strawberries. Frost cake and top with a layer of strawberries. Place remaining cake atop strawberries, frost the top and sides of the cake, and top with remaining strawberries.