Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line the inside of a 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil, pressing it flat. This will help lift the cheesecake out later.

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, and flour until combined. Use low speed to avoid adding too much air. Scrape the bowl sides.

Add sour cream and vanilla, mixing on low until combined.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing slowly and scraping the bowl after each addition.

Pour cheesecake batter into the prepared pan.

Place the cake pan inside a larger pan, filling the outer pan with warm water halfway up the sides. Bake for 1 hour.

Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 30 minutes.

Crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake for another 30 minutes to cool slowly.

Remove cheesecake from oven and chill for 5-6 hours until firm.

To make cake layers, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Mix in sour cream and strawberry extract until combined.

Add egg whites in two batches, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix milk and strawberry puree in a measuring cup.

Add half of the flour mixture to the batter, mixing until combined.

Add milk mixture to the batter, mixing until combined.

Add remaining flour mixture and mix until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. Stir in food coloring.

Divide batter between prepared pans and bake for 27-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

Remove cakes from the oven and cool for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

To build the cake, make the frosting by beating cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Combine cream cheese and whipped cream, whipping until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate the frosting.

Trim the domes from the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife.

Place the first cake layer on a serving plate and spread about 1 cup of frosting on top.

Lift the cheesecake out of the pan with the aluminum foil, remove the foil, and place the cheesecake on the cake.

Spread another cup of frosting on the cheesecake, then add the second cake layer on top. Trim sides if necessary.

Frost the outside of the cake.

Pipe swirls of frosting around the top edge using an Ateco 844 tip.

Arrange sliced strawberries around the bottom edge and strawberry halves on top.

Pipe a small border around the bottom edge of the cake.

Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Best enjoyed within 2-3 days.