This beautiful cake is a wonderful cake for special celebrations. It has a sweet strawberry frosting and a strawberry mousse between the cake layers. Garnish it with fresh strawberries or edible flowers to make it even more beautiful and special.
Cake:
1 1/4 c. butter, softened
2 1/4 c. granulated sugar
7 egg whites, at room temperature
3 1/2 c. cake flour
4 t. baking powder
2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
Strawberry Mousse:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 c. sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 c. whipping cream
Strawberry Frosting:
3/4 c. butter, softened
5 c. powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 c. finely chopped fresh strawberries
Garnish:
Halved fresh strawberries or edible flowers
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour four 8 inch round cake pans.
Beat softened butter and granulated sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until fluffy. Gradually add egg whites, one-third at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together cake flour and baking powder; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with 1 cup water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
Bake 22 - 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Strawberry Mousse:
Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
Process sliced strawberries and granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Transfer strawberry mixture to a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add gelatin to strawberry mixture, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. Cover; chill until consistency of unbeaten egg whites, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Beat cream at low speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into strawberry mixture until well blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes or just until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when mounded.
Assembly:
Spread about 1 cup Mousse between each cake layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges; cover and chill 3 hours or until mousse is set.
Strawberry Frosting:
Beat softened butter at medium speed 20 seconds or until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and chopped strawberries, beating at low speed until creamy. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake.
12 servings