Servings: 8 to 10 slices

Cake: subheading: Cake:
1 box of duncan hines white cake mix 1 box of duncan hines white cake mix
¼ + ⅛ cup freeze dried strawberries, ground into a fine powder (Or roughly around a ½ cup) ¼ + ⅛ cup freeze dried strawberries, ground into a fine powder (Or roughly around a ½ cup)
3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, room temperature 3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, room temperature
⅔ cups melted butter ⅔ cups melted butter
1 cup whole milk, room temperature 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons strawberry emulsion or juice from leftover strawberry purée 4 tablespoons strawberry emulsion or juice from leftover strawberry purée
 
Almond Buttercream: subheading: Almond Buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (2 sticks) 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (2 sticks)
¼ cup almond paste, softened ¼ cup almond paste, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, at room temperature ¼ cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure almond extract 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
Salt to taste (about ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon) Salt to taste (about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon)
Bright white food gel coloring (optional) Bright white food gel coloring (optional)
 
Tools you’ll need: subheading: Tools you’ll need:
Large cookie cutters (3 - 5 inch set) and small cookie cutters of desired shapes Large cookie cutters (3 to 5 inch set) and small cookie cutters of desired shapes
White (or colored) fondant White (or colored) fondant
Squeeze bottle Squeeze bottle
Flameless tea-light candles Flameless tea-light candles

Cake: subheading: Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease 6-inch cake pans.
Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb.
Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix on medium to high speed for 2 minutes.
Divide cake batter into 4 to 6 inch cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Frosting: subheading: Frosting:
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk for a good 6 to 7 minutes on high speed, until butter is silky smooth and pale in color. It will look almost white.
Add in your almond paste and beat the butter and almond paste for another 3 minutes on high speed.
Add the almond extract, salt, heavy cream and the confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat on medium speed. Once all is incorporated, increase the speed to high and beat for an additional minute.
Add in drops of white food coloring if you choose and mix until desired color is reached.
Assembly: subheading: Assembly:
Once cakes have cooled, place them on a baking sheet or cooling rack and freeze layers for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Taking a 4-inch cookie cutter, cut a perfect circle into each cake layer.
Place first cake layer on a cake board and secure it in place with a dab of frosting underneath.
Spread even layer of butter cream on top of the cake layer and smooth with offset spatula.
Repeat with the next three cake layers.
Add the top cake layer and crumb coat the cake with buttercream then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Put final coating of buttercream on cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour minimum.
While cake is setting, roll out small pieces of white fondant. Here is where you can get creative! I used snowflake cookie cutters and sprayed some in sky blue coloring gel; but feel free to use any cutter and colors you desire. Set aside to dry.
Making the drip and final assembly: subheading: Making the drip and final assembly:
All I did for the drip on this cake was microwave my leftover frosting for 30 seconds. I stirred it, poured it into my squeeze bottle and applied it to my cold cake.
Once cake is set, stick on your fondant decorations with some of the heated frosting then apply the drip to the edges of the cake.
Cut a small hole on the top layer, the width of your tea-light candle. Turn on your candle. Scoop out some cake from the hole and insert the tea-light candle. Cover the base of the candle and the top of the cake with the remaining frosting.