I need some advice. What is best way to fill the cake and place the 2 layers on top of each other thanks

You should be able to spread the filling and put the other layer on top. You might want to use a pastry bag so you don't lose as much filling but thiss might be more work than is worth it.

I like the idea of using a pastry bag for the filling. Clever! :)

I usually use a rubber spatula or a large, flat, rounded knife, and those work great.

Instead of making one large cake and splitting it in half, it's much easier to bake two or three thinner cakes. Then, to lift the cakes up, use a large spatula (or two if you have them).

You need to make sure that the strawberry filling doesn't squeeze out when you put the two layers on top of each other.

To do this, take a pastry bag fitted with a coupler (That's the white thing that you attach a decorating tip to) but don't add a tip. Fill the bag with the frosting that you will frost the outside of the cake with and pipe a "wall" or "dam" around the outside edge of the cake layer. Then fill the inside of the wall with your strawberry filling. When you put the next layer on the top, repeat the process. By the time you get the whole cake assembled, the frosting wall will keep the filling from squeezing out. Frost the cake with the same frosting.

I'm a Wilton Method Cake Instructor and make wedding cakes. This works like a charm! :)

Good luck!

Thanks so much