Strawberry Cake from Scratch

Last weekend was typical for me…I had way more planned that I would ever, humanly, be able to accomplish. I was in the process of whittling down my to do list by removing things from it, when a friend of my sister’s dropped by for a visit. In a simple twist of fate I discovered that she, like me, has an affinity for all things cake.

“Lindsey?” I asked, “How do you feel about decorating cakes?”

The next day I stopped by Lindsey’s house with 5 layers of cake, 10 lbs of frosting and instructions on how to construct and decorate a castle cake. I assured her that anything she did was going to be fabulous because it meant that I didn’t have to do it.

On Saturday morning, on our way to Chuck E Cheese's with a car-full of 6-year-old girls, I dropped by to pick up the cake. When Lindsey brought it out to me, I was overcome with emotion. Seriously I almost cried.  The cake was amazing. 

She went way beyond what I had requested and I knew this was just the cake that Ren had requested for her birthday. She was going to be thrilled. As I carried the cake to the car, my heart swelled up with all those squishy feelings you get when you know you are loved  and you are reminded that the world may not be as cold a place as the news wants you to think it is.

Thanks Lindsey, everyone loved the cake and all the other Chuck E Cheese's patrons couldn’t stop looking at it and making delightful comments about how amazing it was.

The cake recipe comes from Confections of a Foodie Bride and let me just tell you, when it comes to cakes, I think I’ll go to her first. I’ve tried her carrot cake, her vanilla bean cake and now her real strawberry cake and all of them are so delicious. Careful on this strawberry cake though, the lines that define the doneness of the cake are quite fine. If you follow the toothpick test instead of the  “this looks about right” method for determining if a cake is done, your cake will turn out perfectly. If you can find someone to decorate it for you…then it will be even better!

Strawberry Cake from Scratch

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Makes: 2, 8-inch cakes

Ingredients:

½ lb very ripe fresh strawberries, hulled (24 ounces if using frozen)

1-2 tsp sugar (optional)

1/4 cup milk, at room temperature

4 eggs (6 large egg whites, room temperature- original recipe)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted

1 3/4 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened (not melted)

¼ cup rainbow sprinkles (optional if making funfetti style)

Directions:

1. If using frozen strawberries, thaw them in a fine strainer over a bowl and let them sit. Occasionally, lightly toss the strawberries to remove any pockets of excess liquid.  Reserve the liquid for the filling between the cakes.
2. If using fresh strawberries, hull and slice them and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar and let them set at room temperature for a couple of hours until they are nice and juicy.
3. Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree.
4. Reserve 3/4 cup puree for the cake. Use leftover puree to flavor the frosting and the juices to make a preserve filling.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8 inch pans: grease, lay a piece of wax paper cut to the size of the bottom of the pan into the pan, grease again then dust with flour.
6. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, eggs, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended.
7. In bowl of stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating at slow speed and add butter. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs.
8. Add liquids and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds. Fold in the sprinkles if using then divide the batter evenly among the pans and smooth tops.
9. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (time will vary). Let cakes rest in pan for about 10 minutes and turn out onto wire racks. Let cakes cool completely before stacking & frosting. (about 2 hours).

Source: adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

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Covers 12 cupcakes, or 1, 8-inch round 2-layed cake

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

8 oz cream cheese

¼ cup strawberry puree or strawberry preserves

4-5 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1.     Cream together butter & cream cheese. Mix in  puree until combined. Add in powdered sugar until you reach desired spreading consistency.

Source: Adapted from Wilton

Strawberry Filling

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Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 pkg (16 ounces) frozen sliced strawberries, packed in sugar and thawed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1.     Drain strawberries; reserving liquid. Add enough water to liquid to equal 1 1/4 cups.

2.     In large saucepan, combine strawberry liquid, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well. Heat and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely.

3.     Stir remaining strawberries into the cooled mixture (if using).

2.     Refrigerate until ready to use. Fill cupcakes.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Wilton

Gwenevere

Hydrangea Cupcakes

My hydrangea plant died last summer after a few weeks of no rain. The hydrangeas at my mother-in-law’s house lived, but I’m not so sure they are going to bloom like they have in summers past. To rectify this problem I decided to make my own blooms. 

Thank you Glory over at Glorious Treats for such a fantastic idea. I didn’t even need to know what kind of cupcake she used as her canvas. I only had eyes for the frosting, which is unusual for me, since I’m a HUGE fan of cake. To achieve this hydrangea look for your cupcakes you are going to need:

* 12-18 Cupcakes (You don’t even want to know what kind of cupcakes I ended up making. I’ll just say…they tasted out of this world delicious but since they were a little “involved” I’ll just keep this post about the frosting.)

* One batch of your favorite butter cream or cream cheese frosting (recipes follow – I used both because I ran out of the butter cream before I got all of the cupcakes frosted  – I highly recommend Glory’s cream cheese. It tastes great yet has the density needed to retain it’s shape after it’s been piped.)

* Food coloring in the colors you would like your hydrangeas to be – I used blue and violet

* One pastry bag

* One Wilton 2D or other brand large closed star tip

Separate you frosting into three small bowls with one bowl containing a little less frosting than the other two – the bowl with the lesser amount is to remain white. Using your food coloring, color the other two bowls of frosting to your liking.

Put your decorating tip into the pastry bag and then insert the tip-end of the pastry bag into a tall cup.

Open the bag and fold the top over the edge of the cup. This allows you to fill the bag without having to hold onto it.  

Fill the bag with a large scoop of the blue frosting, another scoop of the same size with the purple frosting and use a slightly smaller spoonful for the white frosting. 

Take the pastry bag off the cup and evenly press the frosting down to the tip. Start piping the frosting into one of the bowls of frosting until you are able to get an even consistency or all three colors begin to come out of the tip.

Begin frosting the cupcake by piping a large star in the center of the cupcake. This will enable you to create “stadium seating” for your pedals.

Next, fill in around the large star by piping new smaller stars  all around it - start at the center and work outward to the edges until the entire cupcake is finished.

This piping method is a great place for beginners because the overall design is completely forgiving. I even let my kids try it. If you go that route, don’t forget to tie off the end of pastry bag, kids have a hard time keeping a loaded pastry bag twisted shut.

Butter Cream Frosting

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Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

½ cup solid vegetable shortening

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4-5 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons milk*

Directions:

1. In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with an electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Once the sugar is incorporated to your desired consistency (err on the stiff side) icing may appear dry. *Beat in milk, a little at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in the refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using-add milk if needed.

Source: Wilton

Cream Cheese Frosting

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Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4-5 cups confectioners sugar

1-4 tablespoons heave cream (or milk if you are in a pinch)

Directions:

1.   Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend slightly. Add cream cheese and blend until combined, about 30 seconds.

2. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
3. Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don't add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
4. Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
5. Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

Notes: Glory has several flavor variations of this recipe on her blog. Since I’ve never made them I’m not posting them, but I look forward to trying a few out when my frosting needs call for it.

Source: Glorious Treats

Gwenevere

Carrot Ginger Cupcakes

I have a theory…Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve said that. I used to be the theory Queen and that phrase, “I have a theory” was used at least once a day. I wonder why I haven’t had so many theory’s lately…Maybe it’s not due to the lack of theories, so much as the lack of people to share them with. My life is my kids these days and they just don’t appreciate a good theory hatched from the interworkings of their mom’s mind…unless said theory has something to do with testing the effects of sugar overload on children under the age of 9.

Anyway…

I have a theory...Moms (as in your mom…not [necessarily] you as a mom) like carrot cake.

If you were to help me test this theory by making these Carrot Ginger Cupcakes for your mom this weekend, I’m guessing my theory would be confirmed. You might even hear such exclamations of joy like...

Oh my goodness, this frosting is amazing!

Can I please have more of this cream cheese frosting?

What is in this frosting that makes it so tasty?

Hmmm…. maybe it's the frosting and NOT the cake that mom's like?  I may need to adjust my theory.

Oh well, since we don’t know where the true love lies (in the cake or frosting) it’s best to have your bases covered with a phenomenal cake and an exceptional frosting! Thanks to  the foodie bride we've got it covered. And thank you foodie bride for shredding your carrots small and adding subtle flavors that make everyone’s taste buds sing - even the kids, who when they eat this cake won’t ask, “Is this a healthy dessert?” because really….what is the point of a healthy dessert?

So this mother’s day, make everyone happy. Let these cupcakes sing to you too.

Carrot Ginger Cupcakes

with orange cream cheese frosting

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Ingredients:

CARROT GINGER CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans


1 lb large carrots, peeled


3 large eggs, room temperature


1/3 cup buttermilk


1 tsp pure vanilla extract


2 cups sugar


1 1/2 cups vegetable oil


1 1/2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger


2 tsp baking powder


1 tsp baking soda


1 tsp salt


1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature


2 (8-oz each) cream cheese, room temperature


8 cups confectioners’ sugar


1 Tbsp freshly grated orange zest
(half an orange)

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger


Pinch of salt


Splash of orange juice

Directions:

Makes 24 regular cupcakes + 12 mini cupcakes.

CARROT GINGER CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place muffin cup liners in muffin tins.
2. Using the smallest holes (less than 1/4 inch in diameter) of a box grater, grate carrots, yielding 2 1/2 cups. Place carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins filling cups 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middles comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Remove tins from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool. After 7 minutes remove cupcakes from tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat 5 minutes more. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.
2. Once cupcakes are cooled, frost with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. If you are just frosting with a knife you can ½ the recipe.

Notes:       If you are piping the frosting on the cupcakes with a pastry bag you will need the entire recipe. If you are spreading it on with a knife you could half the frosting recipe.

Source:     adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Gwenevere