Guest Author - Sandra L. Garth

For a non chocolate recipe this is opulence at its best. It looks like a lot of work but it really isn’t, and it is time well spent. You can shorten the process by; using a boxed cake mix, no-bake instant cheesecake mix, strawberry pie filling, and canned vanilla frosting.

Easy White Cake
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
2 ¼ cup sugar
2/3 cup warm water
2/3 cup milk
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 TBS + 1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
6 egg whites at room temperature
Cheesy Filling
Strawberry Filling
Vanilla Frosting

Grease and flour three nine inch cake pans and set aside. Cream butter and shortening. Gradually add sugar beating at medium speed of an electric mixture. Combine water and milk; set aside. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and water, starting and ending with dry ingredients until well blended. There is a fine line between well blended and over mixed. I’ve had many a cake either overflow from the pan, or turn out more like cornbread from over mixing. Stir in flavorings. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, and then fold gently into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in a 350 oven for 25 minutes or until toothpick or the finger test indicates that it is done. (Finger test - When top of cake is touched lightly fingerprint should disappear) Cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wax paper covered wire racks, and let cool for completely. Spread cheesy filling between layers, then spoon strawberry topping over cheesy filling. (Only spread strawberry topping to within an inch of edge so it doesn’t drip down the sides of the cake) Spread vanilla frosting on top and sides of cake. Store in refrigerator.

Cheesy Filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly beat in Eagle Brand until smooth; please make sure there are no lumps. Lumpy filling would spoil the gourmet concept. Stir in lemon juice and almond extract. Refrigerate until well chilled which will take from two to three hours.

Strawberry Filling
1 cups sliced strawberries
1 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS sugar
3/4 cup apple juice
Combine cornstarch, apple juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool. When cooled, fold in strawberries.

Vanilla Frosting
1 ½ cups butter, softened
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy. Add milk and extracts till well blended. Add sugar and beat until light and spreading consistency.