Step 1

PREPARING MACERATED STRAWBERRIES: Wash and remove stems before thinly slicing. Place in a bowl and mix with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Step 2

Cover and allow to sit for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Step 3

Once macerated, use a fork to smash the berries.

Step 4

Set aside a 1/2 cup of drained strawberries for the frosting. Save the remaining berries and syrup for the cake.

Step 5

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 X 13 cake pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Step 6

Add gelatin, oil, milk, and eggs. Mix together.

Step 7

Add 1 cup of macerated berries with syrup and beat for 2 minutes in the mixer.

Step 8

Pour into pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick is mostly clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. If you have any remaining syrup you can simply pour it over the cake.

Step 9

FROSTING:Cream together the butter, confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup of well-drained strawberries, and vanilla or strawberry extract. If the frosting is too runny, you can gradually add more sugar to get a thicker consistency.

Step 10

Frost cake and enjoy!