Strawberry Almond Cream Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow or angel food cake mix*
• Almond extract to taste
• 1 small box vanilla or French vanilla regular pudding/pie filling mix
• 1 3/4 cups milk or reduced-fat or skim milk
• 1/4 cup amaretto liqueur or 1 teaspoon almond extract**
• 1 cup chilled heavy cream or 2 cups thawed frozen non-dairy whipped topping**
• Granulated sugar to taste
• 1 to 2 quarts firm ripe strawberries, stems removed and sliced

Frosting

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups heavy cream, chilled***
• About 1 to 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur or to taste, or about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Toasted sliced or slivered blanched almonds as desired for garnish
• Sprigs of mint for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare yellow or angel food cake mix according to package directions.
2. Divide batter into two greased (ungreased for angel food cake) or 8- or 9-inch round layer pans, spreading evenly. Bake in a preheated oven according to package directions for round layer pans.
3. Cool thoroughly according to package directions.
4. With a sharp serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally, resulting in four (4) very thin cake layers.
5. While cake layers are cooling, prepare pudding according to package directions, using only 1 3/4 cups milk. Stir 1/4 cup amaretto or 1 teaspoon almond extract into hot prepared pudding; cool pudding and then chill for 30 minutes.
6. In a chilled deep medium bowl, beat cream with chilled beaters until soft peaks are formed. Add sugar to taste, if desired.
7. Fold whipped cream or 2 cups whipped topping into chilled pudding.
8. Arrange one cake layer on a serving plate; spread a coating of one-third of the pudding mixture over cake layer.
9. Arrange a layer of sliced strawberries over pudding filling.
10. Top with a second cake layer, then one-half the remaining pudding, and another layer of sliced strawberries.
11. Repeat process with third cake layer, then remaining pudding, and another layer of strawberries.
12. Top with the fourth (4th) cake layer. Set cake/torte aside.
13. In a chilled deep medium bowl, beat 2 cups cream with chilled beaters until soft peaks are formed. Gradually beat in sugar to taste and amaretto or almond extract, if desired, until mixture forms stiff peaks.
14. Evenly spread sweetened flavored whipped cream or whipped topping over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
15. Just before serving, decorate top of cake with additional sliced strawberries and toasted almonds. Press additional almonds into topping around side of cake, if desired. Garnish with sprigs of mint, if desired.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

** May add amaretto or almond extract as desired.

*** or 1 (8 ounce) container thawed frozen non-dairy whipped topping or reduced-fat or no-fat whipped topping. Whipped topping need not be sweetened as it is already sweetened.