Combine flour, brown sugar, salt and butter. Mix until crumbly, as for pie crust. Reserve 1 cup of crumbs. Combine egg, milk and baking soda; stir into remaining crumb mixture, blending well. Pour into 2 greased, paper-lined 9 inch layer pans. Sprinkle batter with reserved crumbs, then top with chopped nuts. Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool. Reserve several whole strawberries for garnish. Slightly mash remaining berries, sugaring to taste. Place one layer of cake on serving plate, nut side up. Spread with half of strawberries, top with half of whipped cream and cover with second layer of cake.

Spread with remaining berries then swirl whipped cream around edge of top of cake, allowing small circle of strawberries to remain uncovered in center of torte. Garnish with clusters of whole strawberries around bottom of cake.