Sheila’s Strawberry Shortcake

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each egg. Add flour and milk, alternately to creamed mixture, beginning, and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above the counter, then dropping it flat onto the counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure a more level cake. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until done Cool in pans 5 - 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely before icing. After cake layers cool, place the first layer on a cake plate or platter. (I use a fork and make holes in the cake layers before adding the strawberries.) Cover the layer with sweetened strawberries (I don’t join mine.) and then a layer of whipped cream. Add the top layer. Cover with strawberries. Add a final layer of whipped cream to the top and then spread whipped cream around the sides. May garnish with whole strawberries. Refrigerate for at least six hours before serving for best results. Refrigerate overnight the longer this cake stays in the fridge, the better yet!