![Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.southernliving.com/thmb/ia44m2YZ1XasenOLS80VfYX2kr8=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/strawberry-dream-cake-sl-2000-9f69a3dd6cb449eea627d7a24a1084e2.jpg)
Ingredients
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CAKE LAYERS
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Shortening
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Flour for pans
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1 cup (8 oz.) salted butter, softened
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2 cups granulated sugar
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4 large eggs, separated
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3 cups (about 12 oz.) all-purpose flour
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon table salt
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1 cup whole milk
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract
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2 (16-oz.) containers fresh strawberries
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DREAMY WHIPPED FROSTING
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1 (8-oz.) container mascarpone cheese, softened
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2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
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2 cups heavy whipping cream
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Directions
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Make the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease, with shortening, and flour 2 (9-inch) round, 2-inch-deep cake pans. Beat the butter with a heavy-duty stand mixer at medium speed until fluffy; gradually add the sugar, beating well. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
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Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
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Beat the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold about one-third of the egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites in 2 batches. Spoon batter into prepared cake pans.
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Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour.
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Meanwhile, cut a thin slice from stem end of each of 20 to 25 whole strawberries to form a flat base; set strawberries aside.
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Make the Dreamy Whipped Frosting: Gently stir together the mascarpone cheese and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Beat whipping cream and vanilla and almond extracts with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream mixture into cheese mixture; gently fold in remaining whipped cream mixture in 2 batches.
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Place 1 cooled cake layer on a cake plate or serving platter; spread top with 3/4 cup of the frosting. Working from the outer edge of cake layer toward middle, place strawberries, flat base sides down and pointed tops up, on top of frosted bottom layer.
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Spoon about 1 1/2 cups frosting into a ziplock plastic freezer bag; snip 1 corner to make a small hole. Pipe frosting between strawberries, filling in spaces completely. Gently spread about 3/4 cup of the frosting on top of berries.
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Place second cake layer on berry layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with whole and sliced strawberries, if desired.