Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 3 cups sifted cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 6 teaspoons cold water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
  • 1 1/2- 2 pints fresh strawberries-stemmed and sliced

Instruction

  • For the pound cake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Add room temperature cream cheese, salt, shortening and butter to large mixing bowl and begin creaming until smooth.
  • Slowly add sugar to bowl and cream until light and fluffy which takes up to 10 minutes.
  • Add one egg at a time and mix until incorporated.
  • Slow mixer to slower speed and add flour one cup at a time into bowl until just incorporated.
  • Do not overbeat at this point.
  • Add vanilla extract to bowl and mix.
  • Once everything is incorporated, pour cake batter into greased and floured or baking sprayed bundt or tube pan.
  • Bake for 1 hour and 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove cake and place on cooling rack.
  • Cake should be cool to the touch (I like to wait at least an hour) before assembling or it will melt the whipped cream.
  • For the whipped cream, add cold water and gelatin to pan and allow to sit until it thickens.
  • Heat on stove over low temperature stirring until the gelatin dissolves.
  • Remove and allow to slightly cool without setting.
  • In a large bowl, beat heavy cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla until slightly thick.
  • Pour in gelatin mixture and beat on slow until combined. Continue to whip until the cream stiffens up.
  • To assemble, taking a serrated knife, gently place knife at the center of the completely cooled pound cake and slice the cake in half (Tip: I also placed my cake on my decorating turntable to make this easier.)
  • Remove the top layer and set aside. Add 2/3 of the whipped cream to the top of the pound cake bottom layer.
  • Spread out around the layer. Next add 2/3 of the strawberry slices to the top of the whipped cream. Carefully place the top pound cake layer on top of the strawberries and whipped cream without it spreading everywhere.
  • Next take the remaining whipped cream and spread on the top of the cake and decorate with the remaining strawberries.
  • Lastly, enjoy!!!