Make the Strawberry Sauce:

1. Core and slice the strawberries and place in medium sized, heavy sauce pan. Cover completely with granulated sugar.
2. Put heat on medium low and allow strawberries to bubble as they heat.
3. As the strawberries break down over the heat, use a manual potato masher to break down the strawberries and mix thoroughly with the sugar. As strawberries cook down, add the lemon juice.
4. Simmer the strawberries down for about 20 minutes.
5. Once thoroughly cooked down, allow the strawberries to cool down and then press the strawberries through a sieve. This separates the remaining liquid from the whole strawberry pieces. Use the solids in the cake recipe. Reserve the liquid for an ice cream topping or use with your breakfast yogurt or oatmeal.

Make the Cakes:

1. Preheat over to 350°F (177°C). Prepare cake pans with butter, flour and parchment.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until smooth, about 2 minutes. Sugar will be dissolved completely into the butter. While creaming, add the vanilla.
4. Scrape down the sides of bowl and add the eggs one at a time beating until completely incorporated.
5. On medium low speed, add the sour cream and mix until incorporated.
6. For the last ingredient additions, add the flour in 1/3 increments alternating with milk, with mixer on low. Mix only until ingredients are incorporated. Do not over mix.
7. Fold in the strawberry sauce until completely incorporated. Add a drop or two of food coloring if desired.
8. Pour batter evenly between the two prepared 6″ cake pans. Bake the cakes on the middle rack of the oven for 22-27 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, cakes are done. Allow cakes to cook on a wire rack.
9. When cakes are cooled, use a cake leveler to even the cakes and remove domes so cakes are flat and even.

Make the Frosting:

1. Using a food processor, pulverize the freeze dried strawberries. Once completely pulverized, run the powder through the sieve to separate strawberries from the seeds. Use the powder the in the frosting and reserve the seeds for decoration on the top of the cake if desired.
2. Cream room temperature frosting and butter together in mixer using the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla during the creaming process.
3. Add sifted powdered sugar and strawberry powder in two additions until the dry ingredients are incorporated. About 2 minutes. Add milk only to thin frosting to spreadable consistency.

Assemble and Decorate the Cake:

1. Level cakes with a cake leveler.
2. Place first layer on a plate and cover the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top and finish frost. Crumb coat if desired before finishing the final decoration. 
3. Once frosted garnish as desired. I sprinkled the strawberry seeds over the top and added a couple of flowers picked from my garden.
4. Any leftover cake should be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated.
5. Please see my complete instructions for decorating a layer cake if you desire more information on assembly and decoration.