Strawberry Valentine's Cake

This recipe is a Valentine's family tradition! My grandma made it for my mom and uncles...my mom made it for us...and now I've made it a few times too! The original ingredients call for a white cake mix. For some strange reason (it's not something I remember buying and don't usually), we had a strawberry cake mix, so I went with that this time!

Ingredients:
Cake
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 box (small) strawberry jello
- 1 C chopped strawberries (can us frozen or fresh)
- 1/2 oil (I use 1/4 oil, 1/4 applesauce)
- 1/4 water
- 4 eggs
Frosting:
- 1/2 C butter
- 1 8oz. block of cream cheese-
- 1/2 C strawberries
- 4 C powdered sugar


Directions:
- mix cake mix and jello (dry)

- add all wet ingredients and mix until combined

- poor into heart-shaped pans and bake at 325 for 40-45 mins. Let cool completely before frosting!

- while the cake bakes, mix up your frosting. cream butter & cream cheese together first (this works better if they are both at room temp). then add strawberries & powdered sugar until the desired consistency & taste is reached.

*note: this will not be like thick buttercream frosting...it's somewhere in-between frosting & glaze. So, it will be somewhat runny.

- frost your cake & garnish with fresh strawberries if desired. Don't put the strawberries on until you plan on serving--if you put them on too far in advance (day/night before, they will start getting runny).

Voila! Now serve & enjoy your very pink, moist, and sweet strawberry cake! 

Does your family have any Valentine's food traditions or favorite sweet treats?