Red Velvet Cassata

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (7 ounce) package almond paste (like odense)
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1 (16 ounce) box red velvet cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup corn oil (i prefer canola, so use your preference)
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
• 3 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups strawberries, halved

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°f.
• 2 in bowl of mixer on medium speed, beat almond paste and 11/3cups water for 2 minutes.
• 3 add next 3 ingredients (cake mix, eggs and oil).
• 4 on low speed, beat 30 seconds; scrape bowl then beat 2 more minutes on medium speed.
• 5 divide between two 8-inch round cake pans coated with flour based cooking spray.
• 6 bake for 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean; cool on rack.
• 7 halve cakes.
• 8 in bowl of electric mixer, beat next 2 ingredients (cream cheese and mascarpone), 1 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract 2 minutes.
• 9 beat remaining cream and sugar 2 minutes, then fold into cream cheese mixture.
• 10 place 1 cake layer on plate; top with 1 cup cream mixture. repeat twice.
• 11 coat cake with remaining cream mixture and top with berries (using a mix of berries like strawberries, raspberries citrus curls and edible flowers looked terrific in the photo!).
• 12 enjoy! ;).