After much experimentation, I’ve developed a basic scone recipe that is on par with those served at Tea & Sympathy in New York City.
| Prep Time: | 45 mins |
| Cook Time: | 15 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 30 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
| Yield: | 1 9-inch layer cake |
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 ounce) package white cake mix (such as Pillsbury® Moist Supreme Classic White Cake Mix)
- 1 cup water
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin (such as Jell-O®)
- 4 teaspoons strawberry extract, divided
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, or more to taste
- 1 pint heavy cream
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Beat cake mix, water, eggs, and oil in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour 1/3 of the batter into one of the prepared pans. Mix 1/2 of the strawberry-flavored gelatin and 2 teaspoons strawberry extract into the remaining batter. Divide between the remaining 2 pans.
- Bake cakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Line a large wire rack with parchment paper. Invert cakes onto the rack; let cool completely.
- Set aside 9 to 12 whole strawberries for decoration. Chop remaining strawberries and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Beat cream cheese with the remaining strawberry-flavored gelatin. Add remaining 2 teaspoons strawberry extract and confectioners’ sugar; beat until filling is smooth. Fold in chopped strawberries.
- Place 1 pink layer on a cake plate. Cover with 1/2 of the strawberry filling. Add the plain cake layer. Cover with remaining strawberry filling and position second pink layer on top.
- Make frosting by beating heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract together until dense enough to spread. Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the cake. Run spatula over the paper to smooth the top. Peel off the paper.
- Pipe 9 to 12 swirls of frosting around the rim of the cake; place whole strawberries on top.
- Use mascarpone cheese or heavy cream instead of cream cheese in the strawberry filling if preferred.
- For a richer cream cheese frosting, beat together 2 sticks room-temperature butter, 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, and 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract. Add more sugar to taste.
- The directions for making the cake are based on the particular brand mentioned. Follow instructions on the box if using a different brand.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 531 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 48 g |
| Cholesterol | 116 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 16 g |
| Sodium | 355 mg |
| Sugars | 37 g |
| Fat | 35 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
YUM! And it turns out beautifully. I added some finely chopped coconut to the frosting layers because I can, lol (I add coconut to dessert whenever I can, but I’m sure it’s great without…)