Strawberry-Limoncello Layer Cake

Instructions

Limoncello Cake:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the bottoms and sides of two 8-inch round baking pans.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each until well combined.
3. Whisk milk and limoncello in a bowl. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beating each addition until combined. Fold in fontina.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 26-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pans before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Macerated Strawberries:

1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon zest and limoncello in a large bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Frosting:

1. Cream the butter, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest in an extra-large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add remaining confectioners' sugar, beating each addition until combined. Beat in cream and limoncello.
2. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Pipe a ring of frosting around outer edge of cake. Fill center with strawberries. Pipe frosting on top. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake. Decorate with the fontina, lemon slices, strawberries and thyme.