My sister got diagnosed with Celiacs Disease a couple years ago and since then, our family has been dabbling a bit in the GF world. I am still struggling a bit to remember that some things (like condensed soups) have gluten in them, but we are all getting better. Katie is turning the big 3-0 on Tuesday and since we have birthing class that evening, we did a dinner and cake for her tonight instead.

 Here she is with my GF semi-homemade creation.
 So, she requested a cake with strawberry filling. I decided to look around, find some ideas and make up my own masterpiece. Here's what I did:

-Bake a BETTY CROCKER gluten free yellow cake mix (Betty Crocker is the best GF mix, according to many sources.) according to directions.
-Let cake cool and slice in half horizontally.
-Cream Cheese icing:
(I have looked high and low for a good cream cheese icing recipe that does not have a gluey or runny consistency, still haven't found it. This pin claimed that it was the best and....it wasn't. Tasted GREAT, but not the consistency I would have liked.)
       Calls for:
8 oz cold cream cheese
4 T Butter (softened)
1 T sour cream
2 t vanilla
2 c powdered sugar
(When you figure out the mystery to the runny cream cheese frosting PLEASE let me know!!!)

-For the filling: Mix about 1/2 c cool whip with 1/2 c frosting and 1 cup or more sliced fresh strawberries.
-Place filling on bottom layer, cover with top layer, frost, decorate and EAT! It was easy but still tasted awesome.
 This cake was gooooood. Even those of us who are not gluten intolerant had to have seconds.

If I have learned anything about GF baking, its that more often than not, the mixes work WAY better than trying to do it from scratch and they taste better too!

And on a side note: I have been making a lot of these lately....