Lime and Strawberry Cream Cake

Preheat your oven to 325ºF and grease your favorite round cake pan. (I used a silicone 9 inch X 3 inch cake pan).

In a large bowl, mix together all of the cake ingredients just until combined. Whatever you do, take a few extra minutes on those limes. Be sure to get as much zest and juice that you can muster out of those little fruits, you will regret it if you skimp!

Pour the batter into your cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

When the cake is finished baking, let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about five minutes. Once it has had a chance to cool off a little bit, flip the cake upside down and hope that it all comes out in one beautiful piece. You really shouldn’t have any problem with this!

While your cake is baking, begin working on the strawberry cream. Sprinkle the sugar and the lime zest and juice on the strawberry halves, then mash them coarsely with a pastry cutter or potato masher. Let the strawberries macerate for at least one hour.

When the cake is completely cool, carefully divide the cake into horizontal halves.

Strain out the macerated strawberries from the juice, and drizzle the juice on top of the cake halves. You might use a fork to puncture the top of the cake halves.

Whip the chilled heavy whipping cream and the powdered sugar until they form soft peaks, then gently fold in about 3/4 of the strained strawberries in the heavy cream. (Save the rest of the strawberries to top the cake).

Place the cake half with the cut side up on a cake plate. Spread half of the chilled strawberry cream on the bottom cake half.

Put the other half of the cake on the top of this, then spread the rest of the strawberry cream on the top of the cake. Top off with the macerated strawberries, and gently swirl together using a toothpick or knife to make it look pretty.

Chill completely before serving, and be sure to save a slice for yourself. Believe me, it will be gone before you know it!