pink lady cake

INGREDIENTS

• 4 1/2 cups cake flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups pureed frozen strawberries*
• 8 egg whites
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 to 2 drops red food dye, if using (to make the pink color pop more)
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract