Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Sauce

Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 Vanilla Cake mix

1 ¼ cup whole milk

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons salted butter, softened

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon flaked sea salt

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1/3 cup strawberry sauce

Instructions:

Prepare two 8” cake pans by generously greasing bottom and sides.  Pre-heat oven to 350.

In large mixing bowl, sift cake mix.  Add flour, granulated sugar and sea salt.  Whisk together.  Add oil, butter, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat until well combined.  Divide evenly into cake pans.  Slowly pour cooled strawberry sauce in a circular motion starting from center and working your way to edge of pans.   Bake for about 28 minutes; check for doneness.  (NOTE:  Cakes may need to cook about 30 – 40 minutes, depending on cake pan size and oven temp.  Cook until cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in pans for about 5 minutes, turn onto wire rack and cool completely.

Strawberry Sauce:

2 pounds frozen strawberries

½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon flaked sea salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon corn starched mixed with 1 Tablespoon

Instructions:

Add frozen strawberries to large pot.  Add sugar and salt.  Stir sugar into strawberries.  Bring to a slow boil.  Cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly.  If strawberries are large, break up with a spatula while cooking.  Slowly stream in cornstarch mixture with one hand and stir with the other.  Will start to bubble and thicken.  Remove from burner and let cool.  Strain with sieve.  Pour into bottle and cool completely; then refrigerate until ready to use.  (Note:  Can freeze leftovers; this makes about 2 ½ cups).