STRAWBERRY DREAM LAYER CAKE

This recipe is an old one from Sweet Pea's Kitchen with some additions of my own.

10 ounces frozen whole strawberries (2 cups)
3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) cake flour
1 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease two 9-inch round baking pans line bottoms of pan with parchment, grease parchment and flour.

Transfer strawberries to a large bowl, cover, and microwave until strawberries are soft and have released their juice, about 5 minutes. Place in fine-mesh strainer set over small saucepan and press fruit dry (juice should measure at least 3/4 cup); reserve strawberry solids. Bring juice to boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk milk into juice until combined.

Whisk strawberry milk, egg whites, and vanilla in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give batter final stir by hand.

Pour into prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes then turn out onto rack to cool cakes to room temperature, discarding parchment, about 2 hours. Once cool, use a long, serrated knife to level.

When cake is cool, make your favorite frosting. Add the strawberry solids to a small amount of the frosting to use as filling between the layers. Frost cake with remaining frosting and add fresh strawberries in the center as garnish, if desired.