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SIX-LAYER STRAWBERRY CAKE
Source: Family Circle Magazine
Servings: 20

CAKE:
3 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons strawberry liqueur
1 cup buttermilk
Red food coloring
2/3 cup diced strawberries
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
FROSTING:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
4 boxes (1 pound each) confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
Red food coloring
1/3 cup diced strawberries
DECORATION:
2 cups unsweetened shaved coconut OR: unsweetened flake coconut
6 medium-size strawberries
White chocolate curls

CAKE:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 3 straight-sided 8 x 2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with waxed paper; coat paper with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt into large bowl.

Beat shortening in large bowl on medium speed, gradually adding 1 1/2 cups sugar; beat 2 minutes or until smooth. Add vanilla and liqueur; beat 1 minute.

On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour; then beat on medium-high speed 2 minutes. Tint with 10 drops food coloring. Fold in diced strawberries.

Place egg whites (be sure there are no specks of yolk in the whites) in separate large, clean bowl. With clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat on high speed, gradually adding remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Continue to beat until stiff glossy peaks form.

Stir one-quarter beaten whites into cake batter to lighten; gently fold in remaining whites. Divide batter among 3 prepared pans.

Bake in 350F oven 28 to 30 minutes, until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; remove paper; let cool.

FROSTING:
Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 package cream cheese in large bowl until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add half of the extracts, 2 boxes sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Beat on low until blended; scrape down sides of bowl. Beat on high until smooth and spreading consistency, 1 to 2 minutes. Tint with 8 drops coloring. Stir in diced strawberries.

Use remaining frosting ingredients to make second batch, omitting coloring so frosting is white.

TO ASSEMBLE AND DECORATE:
Trim 2 cakes even; leave third layer with crown. Insert picks around side of one layer, halfway up side. Using picks as guide, slice in half. Repeat with other 2 layers (6 layers). Discard picks.

Place one trimmed layer on cake plate. Spread 1 cup pink frosting over top. Place another layer on top; spread with another 1 cup pink frosting. Repeat with 3 more layers and pink frosting. Top with untrimmed layer; do not frost. Insert a couple of wooden skewers vertically into cake so layers do not slide. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Frost sides of cake with about 3 cups white frosting. Before frosting sets, gently press shaved coconut onto sides. Remove skewers.

Swirl about 1 1/2 cups white frosting on top of cake. Arrange strawberries on top, halving some. Arrange chocolate curls around berries. Refrigerate to set, at least 1 hour before serving. Cut while still cold.

Instructions
In a 4 1/2 to 5 quart dutch oven bring pork, water, onion, garlic, and 1 1/2 t salt to boiling. Simmer, covered, about 2 1/4 hrs until meat is very tender. Remove meat from broth and cool Using two forks, shred meat, discarding fat. You should have 3 1/2 to 4 c shredded meat. Strain broth and reserve 5-6 cups. In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the red chili sauce and add shredded meat. Simmer, covered about 10 minutes. For MASA: beat shortening with a mixer on medium for 1 minute. Stir together MASA HARINA, baking powder and 2 t salt. Alternately add MASA HARINA mixture and broth to shortening, beating well after each addition. Add just enough broth to make a thick creamy paste. Soak corn husks in warm water for 5 minutes then rinse to remove and corn silk and debris. Drain. To assemble each tamale, spread 2 T MASA mixture in the center of a husk. Place 1 T meat sauce in the middle of the MASA. Fold in sides of husk then fold up bottom. Place a mound of extra husks in the center of a steamer basket in a dutch oven and put tamales in basket, open end up. Bring water to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and steam 40 minutes, adding more water as necessary. Microwaving for a couple minutes works too.

From: Better Homes and Gardens, December 1994