To begin with, I made two different cake batters: fresh strawberry (from The Kitchen McCabe) and vanilla (from The Baker Upstairs). In fact, I used the same vanilla cake recipe that I used for my Vanilla Cream-filled Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream. I halved each cake batter recipe for this one.
Using a checkerboard cake pan set, first grease and flour each of the three pans. Place the strawberry and vanilla cake batters in the pan sections, alternating each. Then place the three pans in the oven and bake them at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a cooling rack until completely cool.
Once cooled, remov the cakes from the pans and place them on top of one another to make a three-tiered rectangular cake.
I topped these with my favorite whipped cream topping. All it takes is freshly-whipped cream, slightly sweetened with powdered sugar and vanilla, and a yogurt flavor of your choice. I chose to use strawberry. Once the cream is whipped and sweetened, fold in enough yogurt to give it a fresh fruit flavor. Then cover the cake with it! This whipped cream topping is also perfect for fruit dip if you have some leftover...or for eating plain.
I garnished with fresh strawberry halves as well.
I hope you get a chance to try this sometime! It's definitely a show-stopper when you have guests over.
