Berry Surprise

Ingredients

Makes: 12 servings

Cook: 29 minutes

• Nonstick cooking spray for baking, Pam®

•  1  box (18.25-ounce) yellow cake mix, Betty Crocker®

•  3  eggs

•  1  cup buttermilk

•  1⁄3  cup vegetable oil, Wesson®

•  1⁄4  cup water

•  1  teaspoon almond extract, McCormick®

•  2  cans (16 ounces each) buttercream frosting, Betty Crocker®

•  21⁄2  cups mixed fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries), rinsed and patted dry

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, oil, water, and almond extract with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Transfer to the prepared pans. Bake for 29 to 34 minutes or until a tester comes away clean and cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pans. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Level the cakes if they have crowned and split each layer horizontally with a serrated knife. Stack the four cake layers, spreading 1⁄2 cup frosting and 1⁄2 cup berries on each of the bottom three layers before adding the next layer. Frost the outside of the cake with remaining frosting. Arrange remaining berries in a ring around the top of the cake.