Fraisier

Yum! This is a somewhat modernized version of a French classic. You start with a 6in (or whatever size you want, I'd imagine) cake ring lined with acetate. You put a ring of halved strawberries around the bottom edge and then take a 6in round piece of very moist and delicious white cake and squeeze it in the bottom. Now pipe vanilla mousseline (pastry cream enriched with a ton of butter!) on top of the cake and into the gaps between the berries. With a spatula, push it into all the nooks and crannies, put some sliced strawberries in the center and then fill up with mousseline. Top with another layer of cake (cut slightly smaller than 6in diameter so that the edge can be completely covered with mousseline) and spread a very thin layer of mousseline on top. Then (and this is my favorite part) roll out a disc of green tinted marzipan and put it on top of the cake. Decorate with royal icing. It's really a lot of work, but it is worth it! The light sweetness of the vanilla mousseline, the fresh strawberries, the moist cake, and the nutty marzipan are heavenly together. The only problem I have with this cake is that it is deceivingly light and very nearly healthy seeming...well I know how much butter went into that mousseline and I can officially say that there is nothing remotely "lite" about this cake. Ah well, it's worth the time and the calories too!