Yield: 12 servings.

1 gallon fresh strawberries
4 cups sugar, divided
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for cake pans
3 cups cake flour, sifted before measuring, plus more for cake pans
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
4 eggs
Homemade whipped cream

Homemade Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup sugar

Cut each berry into 2 to 3 pieces and place in a large bowl. Toss with 2 cups of sugar and let sit for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and lightly flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, gently whisk together milk, vanilla, and almond extract.

In another large bowl, add butter and beat until light in color and creamy. Gradually add remaining 2 cups of sugar, continuing to beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Working in batches, add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, mixing after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix, which will cause the cake to become dry. Portion batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before assembling.

Strain strawberries, reserving liquid. Drizzle liquid over each cake. Let cakes moisten for 1 hour.

While cakes moisten, make the homemade whipped cream: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine cream and sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Build the cake by layering whipped cream and strawberries over one cake and topping with another cake, repeating until the full cake is covered.

Best served with a spoon instead of a fork.