Step 1:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2:

Using a stand mixer, mix all of the wet ingredients for the cake (eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla).

Step 3:

Add the custard mix and Funfetti cake mix. Stir until creamy and smooth.

Step 4:

Pour cake batter into a rectangular greased Pyrex baking dish.

Step 5:

Bake cake for about 30 – 35 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator or at room temp before assembly.

Step 6:

Slice strawberries into slivers. Put ⅔ of the strawberries in a mixing bowl with sugar and water. Stir and set aside. (This will make a strawberry syrup, aka macerated strawberries.) Set other strawberries aside for flag decoration.

Step 7:

Clean your stand mixer. Place mixing bowl in refrigerator or freezer for best results when making the whipped cream in the next step.

After the Cake is Cool –

Step 8:

Use a stand mixer to prepare your whipped cream by combining all of the ingredients (heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla) and whisking on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Keep cool and set aside.

Step 9:

In a saucepan on the stove, combine all of the custard ingredients on a medium heat. Stir continuously on the stove (or the gelatin will become clumpy) until custard has achieved a slow boil (about 4 or 5 minutes).

Step 10:

Remove custard from heat.

Time to Assemble –

Step 11:

Carefully remove cake from baking dish, trying to limit breakages. Slice cake in half horizontally to make two cake layers.

Step 12:

Spread a thin, even layer of custard on the bottom of the Pyrex baking dish.

Step 13:

Place down one rectangular cake layer. Add ⅓ of the custard, ⅓ of the whipped cream, and all of the macerated strawberries with juice, spreading as evenly as possible.

Step 14:

Place the rest of the cake, the remaining custard, and the remaining whipped cream.

Step 15:

Decorate!