Simple Strawberry Birthdays

I like simple birthday cakes. They don't want anything fancy, or that feeds too many people, but it usually has to be a wonderful flavor. My nephew asked me to make a birthday cake for his wife recently and I was happy to oblige. Strawberry was the requested flavor and I have tried a number of fresh strawberry cakes. Most recipes have you just chuck strawberries into a white cake batter which makes the berries sink to the bottom of the pan, look more grey than pink, and release tons of juice when you don't need it. I have found that you only get that pink you're looking for when you use a little strawberry gelatin. I like Paula Deen's recipe which has a nice balance of homemade and sweet pink. Put fresh strawberries with some whipped cream between the layers and you're there. Happy Birthday!