Strawberries and Cream Cake

https://www.watkins1868.com/consultant/850461

Strawberries and Cream Cake

Just in time for Valentine's Day, here's a heart-shaped strawberry cake topped with a creamy cream cheese and vanilla pudding frosting and fresh strawberries.

If homemade pudding is desired, you'll want to make the pudding at least 4 hours earlier or perhaps the night before.

Vanilla Pudding (this recipe makes 4 cups, one needed for cake recipe)

4 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Fine Himalayan Pink Salt

5 large egg yolks, beaten

2 teaspoons Watkins All-Natural Baking Vanilla

Directions

Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming.

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.

Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, then gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it has thickened to a pudding like consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Watkins Baking Vanilla.

Cool slightly, stirring a few times to prevent a skin from forming. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened, about 4 hours.

Strawberries and Cream Cake

Watkins Cooking Spray

1 pkg Strawberry Cake Mix (typically 15.25 oz)

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup of Vanilla Pudding (homemade or 2 snack pack cups)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon Watkins All-Natural Baking Vanilla

2 cups halved fresh strawberries

Watkins Red Decorating Sugar, optional

Directions

Spray one 8-inch round cake pan and one 8-inch square cake pan with baking spray. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Cool 1 hour.

To make frosting, combine cream cheese, pudding, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.

To assemble cake, place square cake diagonally on serving platter. Cut round cake in half; place cut sides of halves against top two sides of square cake to resemble a heart. Spread frosting on sides and top of cake. Place strawberry halves around edge of cake. Sprinkle center of cake with red sugar, if desired.