Strawberry Vanilla Cream Trifle

Start by baking a Golden Vanilla Cake
Cream well:

¾ cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract

Add, one at a time

3 eggs

Beat well after each addition.

Sift together
1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup + 1 tbsp cake flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder

Fold the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, alternately with

¾ cup whole milk

Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter into two 9 inch cake pans that have been greased and floured and the bottoms lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting as desired.

Strawberry Sauce:

3 cups frozen strawberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

Boil together gently for about 10-15 minutes then add

1 1/2 tbsp corn starch dissolved in an ounce or two of water.

Cook for an additional minute, remove from the heat and cool completely.

Vanilla Pudding

5 cups whole milk
6 egg yolks
6 tbsp flour
¾ cup sugar
Pinch salt
3 tbsp vanilla extract

Begin by scalding the milk in the microwave or on top of the stove. In a separate large pot, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the scalded milk whisking as you add. Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 7 minutes until it begins to slightly thicken. Add about a ½ cup of the custard to the beaten egg yolks, whisk together well and add back to the pot. Cook for another two to three minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract and cool completely.

To assemble the trifle, start with a layer of cake, cut in cubes in the bottom of a large serving bowl of about 4 quarts capacity. You can sprinkle the cake with a little sherry or strawberry liqueur if desired. Alternate cake layers with layers of vanilla custard and strawberry sauce. Top with a layer of Vanilla Whipped cream. Chill for several hours before serving.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

2 cups whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Whip together until soft peaks form.