Strawberry Sheet Cake

Mike found this recipe and asked for it for his birthday cake. We are so glad he did... it was SO yummy! We will definitely be making it again!

Strawberry Sheet Cake
Serves 30-36 (depending on how large your pieces are)
Adapted from Homesick Texan

Ingredients:
16 oz fresh strawberries, stems removed and chopped (about 3 cups)
2 cups of sugar plus 2 teaspoons
1/4 cup water
2 cups of flour
2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Over the chopped strawberries, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Let them sit for an hour at room temperature so they can release some of their juices. In a blender of food processor, pulse the strawberrues for a few seconds until crushed—you want them juicy but still with some texture. Take 1/2 cup of the strawberry mixture for the frosting and leave the remaining crushed strawberries for the cake. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift the sugar and flour together in a bowl. Melt the butter on low in a saucepan and then whisk it with the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and baking soda. Add the liquid to the flour and then stir in one cup of the crushed strawberries. Pour batter into greased sheet pan (I just use a large baking sheet... not an official sheet pan) and bake for 18 minutes. Cake is done when a knife comes out clean from the center. Let it cool and then frost with the strawberry cream cheese frosting (recipe below). Note: The cake will be a little brown. This because of the alkaline reaction of the ingredients. Do not be alarmed!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature
8 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup crushed strawberries
2 teaspoons of lime juice (about half a lime)
1/4 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until blended. Add the strawberries, lime juice, lime zest and vanilla. Spread over cooled cake.

Note: Depending on how juicy your berries are, your icing may be runnier than usual. If this is the case, add more cream cheese to thicken it up.