Strawberry Shortcake Coffee Cake

 

2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

cup granulated sugar

2

teaspoons baking powder

1/2

teaspoon salt

1

cup cold butter or margarine

1/2

cup milk

1

teaspoon almond extract

1

egg, slightly beaten

1

cup whipping cream

2

packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/3

cup powdered sugar

1

lb fresh strawberries, sliced (3 cups)

• 1 Heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through mixture in opposite directions), until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk, almond extract and egg just until blended. Spread in ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
• 2 Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• 3 In small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar on medium speed until well blended. Fold in whipped cream. Frost top of cooled cake with whipped cream mixture. (Frosted cake can be refrigerated up to 6 hours.)
• 4 Just before serving, top cake with strawberries. (Cake topped with strawberries can be refrigerated up to 2 hours.)