This past weekend we celebrated one of my closest girlfriend's 30th birthday. She invited us all over for dinner (because that's what we do when we get old ... we throw ourselves dinner parties) and I convinced her to let me bake her birthday cake. She requested a Strawberry Shortcake but not with shortcake (shortbread) but with cake cake ... So, a Strawberry Shortcake Cake? I was happy to invent something new—always up for  a good challenge.