Several Hours Before Starting

• Lay the cool whip and cream cheese out on the counter a couple of hours before starting.
• Bake the cake per package instructions and set aside to cool. Rinse and dry all of the strawberries and set those aside. Lay a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet and set aside.

For the Topper

• Melt the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, it may take up to a minute and half to completely melt. Stir well between rounds in the microwave. Do NOT allow it to become very hot, just just want it warm and melted. If it becomes too hot, allow it to cool before using on strawberries.
• Choose 5-7 large pretty strawberries and leave the green tops on. Dip these one at a time in the candy melt and use a spoon to ensure that candy covers most of the strawberry. Lay the strawberries onto the parchment paper and when done, place tray in the fridge.
• Remove the green stems from the remaining strawberries and Cut theminto halves and quarters so that they are bite size pieces. Set aside.

For the Icing

• In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, on a low speed, combine the cool whip, cream cheese, powdered sugar, extracts and ¼ C milk. Beat until creamy and thick. If there are many lumps or it is too thick add milk by the Tbs full. You probably won’t need more than 3 Tbs extra, at the most. The icing should be THICK but spreadable.

For the Filling

• Remove the tops of all the strawberries from one pint container. Cut them into quarters and place into a medium size bowl.
• Add one cup of sugar and using a potato masher, large fork or a hand mixer, mash and mix the strawberries and sugar. Add the jam and keep mashing until the entire mixture resembles a thin strawberry jam. Set aside.

Assemble the Cake

For a Layer Cake

• Use 2-3 Tbs of icing to glue the bottom cake to the cake plate.
• Place the first cake, top side down onto the cake plate.
• Spread the filling onto the top of the bottom cake but only spread it to within 2 inches of the sides. Don’t put too much, or it will want to squeeze out between layers. Keep the amount you have left over to serve with the cake.
• Put the other cake on top of the first cake, upside down.
• Using a spatula and an offset spatula, spread the icing over the surface of both cakes. If some of the filling seeps out, just keep icing, it will be fine.
• When the cake is iced, remove the candied strawberries from the refrigerator and pile them artfully onto the center of the cake. Place the pieces of strawberry that you cut onto the top and or sides of the cake for decoration.
• Refrigerate if you will not be eating it in the next two hours. Keeps up to 5 days in the fridge if covered.

For a Sheet Cake

• Using the round handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake every 2 inches.
• Gently pour the strawberry jam mixture into the holes and allow to soak into the cake. You will likely have some left over, just save it
• Ice the cake with the icing.
• Set the candy coated strawberries into an artful pile in the center of the cake.
• Either drizzle the remaining jam over the top of the cake OR save it to serve with the cake.
• Refrigerate if you will not be eating it in the next two hours. Keeps up to 5 days in the fridge if covered.