Step 1

Bring all your ingredients to room temperature, meaning the milk, eggs, and butter should not be even a tiny bit cold. This will ensure that the cake batter mixes together correctly and you'll get a better rise and texture in your final cake.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 335ºF and prepare two 8"x2" round cake pans with cake goop or another preferred kind of pan release.

Step 3

I like to pre-measure all my ingredients and have them ready to go so that mixing goes very easily and I don't forget anything. To measure we are using a scale. If you haven't used a scale before, don't be intimidated. It's actually easier than using cups and way fewer dishes (yay!). You can get a great scale online or in any local store that sells kitchen equipment.

Step 4

Divide your milk in half. Add your oil to one half and add the eggs and vanilla to the second half. Set them aside.

Step 5

Place your cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached. I'm using my Bosch universal plus mixer but you can use whatever mixer you have.

Step 6

Add in your softened butter and mix at low speed until the flour mixture resembles a coarse sand texture.

Step 7

Add your milk/oil mixture and increase the speed to medium. Let your cake batter mix for 2 full minutes. Scrape after 1 minute if you need to. The texture should be light, white, and fluffy after 2 minutes. Don't worry you won't overmix it.

Step 8

Reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the milk/egg mixture in a steady stream until it's all added in. This takes me about 1 minute. Once the egg mixture is all mixed in, your cake batter is ready to bake!

Step 9

Divide your cake batter into your cake pans evenly and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center bounces back when you lightly touch it.

Step 10

Let your cakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes or until the pan is just barely warm to the touch.

Step 11

Turn the cake out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way or do what I do and pop them into the freezer to cool them down faster. For me it takes about an hour and then they are chilled and ready to go. You can also fully freeze your cakes (wrapped in plastic wrap) and that will help seal in the moisture and keep them moist until you're ready to frost your cakes. Let them defrost for about an hour before you try to tort them.

Step 12

Add your powdered gelatin to the cold water and let it bloom for 5 minutes.

Step 13

Start mixing your heavy cream in the stand mixer with the whisk attachment until it begins to look thick and foamy. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla.

Step 14

Continue mixing until you start to see lines forming in the surface of the whipped cream (soft peaks)

Step 15

Microwave the gelatin for 30 seconds and stir. The gelatin granules should look transparent. If they aren't fully melted then go for another 5 seconds.

Step 16

Add the 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream to the melted gelatin and stir.

Step 17

Drizzle the gelatin mixture into the heavy cream mixture and continue mixing on medium until firm peaks form. Don't over mix or the heavy cream will start to separate and curdle and then you'll have butter (oops).

Step 18

Slice your strawberries into 1/4" slices (see blog post for the strawberry wash instructions)

Step 19

After your cakes are cooled, slice them horizontally into thinner layers and place the first layer onto a cake plate or cake board.

Step 20

Spread a thin layer of your whipped cream onto the cake layer and spread an even layer of your sliced strawberries on top.

Step 21

Spread another thin layer of whipped cream on top of the strawberries and place the second layer of cake on top. Repeat with the final layers of cake.

Step 22

Finish the cake with some dollops of whipped cream and whole strawberries on top.

Step 23

I recommend chilling the cake a few hours before serving it so that it's easier to slice.