Lemon Meringue Cream Cake With Fresh Strawberries

Okay so I am WAY proud of this dessert. I decided to make my mother-in-law an inventive cake, and this is how it went. Its pretty easy, but it is time consuming, and you have to be patient with a few things. But the outcome is beautiful, and tastes like a tropical island in your mouth!!!! So there are a few things you need.
-Lemon Cake Mix
-Mayonaisse
-1 sm. pkg instant lemon pudding
-Eggs
-2 8oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese
-Powdered Sugar
-Vanilla
-Granulated Sugar
-Fresh Strawberries

Cake:
Just follow the lemon cake mix directions but add the pkg. of lemon instant pudding, and 2 Tbsp. Mayonaisse. I know it sounds gross but it makes the most moist cake you have ever tasted in your life. Just try to remember not to lick the bowl...cuz it doesnt taste very good. So I made mine in 2 9in. Round baking pans. While they are cooking, mix up the cream cheese frosting:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

When the cake is cooled, I spooned the cream cheese frosting onto the bottom layer, and topped with fresh sliced strawberries.

I added more frosting on top of the fresh strawberries and sort of layered it. Then you add the top cake layer. I spread a the rest of the cream cheese frosting over top the cake, but very thin...DON'T PUT TOO MUCH..use most if not all in the middle. Then for the fun and patient part. MERINGUE!!!! Ohh yessss...I then take 4 egg whites, and 1C. sugar...beat the egg whites until they are very bubbly and almost tripled in size in the bowl...When they are ready, start adding sugar, about 1 Tbsp. at a time, if you add too much at a time, it becomes too heavy and you will end up with runny meringue. Beat the heck out of it and when you have added all the sugar, beat it some more!!! When stiff peaks have formed..cover your cake, make sure to put more on the top of the cake. I like to make pretty little swirls on the top of mine. And put in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. You will need to keep an eye on it, I made the mistake of using too much of the cream cheese frosting on the outside of the cake, and ended up bleeding through the meringue, but it was a lesson learned. And this is the outcome..

The taste of this cake is out of this world!!! And perfect for those who don't like too much sweetness to their desserts. Its very good...If you have any questions let me know...Comments are always welcome!!!!