• Split each cake horizontally so that you have a total of 4 cake layers. Cover and set aside. Use a food processor to grind the freeze dried strawberries to a powder. Divide the powder into 2 portions and set them aside.
  1 recipe Chocolate Chiffon Cake, 2 oz freeze dried strawberries
• Toss the fresh strawberries with 1/3 cup of the sugar. Macerate 30 minutes.
  24 oz fresh strawberries, 5 1/4 oz granulated sugar

Strawberry Mousse

• Puree and strain the fresh strawberries to make 2 cups of puree. If you have more than 2 cups save the excess for another use. Stir one portion of the strawberry powder into the puree.
• Place the liquor (or cool water) into a medium size microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer over the liquor and set it aside to bloom. Whip the cream with the other 1/3 cup of the sugar and fold it into the strawberry puree.
  2 tablespoon orange liquor, 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder, 8 oz heavy cream
• Heat the bloomed gelatin in the microwave in 10 second increments until it's hot to the touch. Working quickly, add a 1/2 cup of the mousse to the warmed gelatin. Whisk to combine. Pour the gelatin mixture back into the mousse. Immediately whisk until the mousse is smooth and the gelatin is evenly incorporated. Use immediately to assemble the cake before the gelatin sets.

Assembly

• Whisk the remaining strawberry powder into the prepared buttercream. Scoop half the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
  1 recipe Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Place one cake layer on a cardboard cake circle or on a serving platter. Pipe a "dam" of strawberry buttercream around the edge of the cake layer.
• Scoop 1/3 of the strawberry mousse onto the layer and spread to fill in the buttercream dam. Repeat with the other cake layers.
• The cake will be quite soft at this point. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes to set the buttercream dams and to allow the gelatin to start setting. Once the cake is firmed up, ice it with a thin crumb coat of buttercream. Chill to set the crumb coat then ice the cake with a final coating of buttercream.
• Pipe 12 buttercream rosettes around the top of the cake. Place a strawberry (can be dipped in chocolate) onto each rosette. Refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours to make sure the filling is completely set. Remove the cake from the refrigerator 1/2 hour before serving.
  12 strawberries