Strawberry Birthday Delight

Cake recipe thanks to the Pioneer Woman

CAKE

    2 sticks Butter

    4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa Powder

    1 cup Boiling Water

    2 cups Flour

    2 cups Sugar

    ¼ teaspoons Salt

    ½ cups Buttermilk

    2 whole Eggs

    1 teaspoon Baking Soda

    1 teaspoon Vanilla

    1-½ cup Nutella

    Strawberries

    2 pints Strawberries, Hulled And Sliced

    ¼ cups Sugar

    1 teaspoon Vanilla

     

WHIPPED CREAM

    2 cups Heavy Cream

    ½ cups Powdered Sugar

 Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Line two round cake pans with parchment paper.  Spray with PAM.

 In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, add the cocoa powder and mix well.  Pour in the water, combine and bring the mixture to a boil for about 20 seconds.  Remove from heat and set aside

In a medium bowl mix together the buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, vanilla.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt

Stir in the chocolate mixture, stirring gently

Now pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir in gently until completely combined

Next, pour cake batter in to prepared pans and bake in oven for 17-20 minutes, until the middle doesn't jiggle.

When done, cool by removing from the pan.  Turn bottom side up and carefully remove parchment paper.

While the cakes are cooling, now it's time to hull, rinse and slice the strawberries

Gently stir in the sugar and vanilla.  Set aside for at least 15 minutes.  Drain off excess juice (I saved it for the special drink I was making - see below this recipe)

In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in high speed until it's thick and fluffy

Spread about half of the Nutella on the flat side of a cake

On top of the Nutella, spread half of the whipping cream

Stand back and admire.  Try not to feel like you're having a Close Encounters moment, this. is. not. Devils Tower!

Add half the strawberries on top of the whipped cream.  I could really stop here and consider it done BUT since I have more ingredients, might as well finish it off

Take the second piece of cake, bottom side up and carefully place it on top of the strawberries pressing down gently.  Repeat rest of the layers

and there folks, is the delicious masterpiece

We added some birthday candles.  We surprised our daughter-in-law with a small family gathering with a birthday cake.  She loves strawberries and what a great reason to make this lovely recipe

and here's the birthday girl blowing out the candles

we then topped it off with this delicious

Strawberry Rosemary Gingerale drink thanks to the blog, "A Less Processed Life"

Strawberries can be so good in a variety of ways.  What is your favorite?

We had been secretly planning to do something for my daughter-in-law who's birthday is coming up soon.  As soon as the Pioneer Woman posted this on Facebook I immediately knew I was going to make this for her my DIL's surprise birthday party.  This will from now on be my basic go to chocolate cake.  Not only is it from scratch but it's so moist and deliciously chocolatey good.  Best homemade, from scratch cake I've made ever!

We had a great time with the grandkids and family this weekend, savoring every moment!

Patriotic Berry Trifle

by Sunny Anderson

1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup Limoncello or fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 premade angel food cake, cut into 1-inch slices

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature

2 pints blueberries

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Heat 1/4 cup sugar, the Limencello or lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract (sorry, I completely forgot to take a picture of this part).

Brush both sides of each slice of cake with the syrup.  Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium-speed until smooth and light.  Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and the consistency of whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13-cup trifle dish.

Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries.

Dollop* half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread.

Top with a layer of strawberries

Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries.

Top with remaining cream mixture.  Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a decorative pattern.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

I looked on the FOODTV website for a patriotic dessert and this was the first picture that popped up.  I was so thrilled as I didn't have to spend hours looking for that perfect recipe as it seems I sometimes do.  Not only did it look delicious and pretty but it was also so simple.  Sunny did not add the Limoncello, instead I did.  I used the Limoncello for another trifle I made a couple of months ago, I figured that it wouldn't hurt to use it for this one and it came out perfect!  *I don't understand why she said to have the heavy cream at room temperature.  I have always learned that the cream needed to be well chilled in order for it to turn into whipping cream.  I was very reluctant but I followed the recipe hoping it would turn out perfect.......well it didnt'!  Just as I thought.  I think I had it mixing in my mixer for at least 10 minutes and it never "peaked".  I even at cream of tartar, it may have helped a teensy bit but still not enough, my whipping cream was lame and liquidy.  I was so upset but I had no choice and had to use it the way it was.  When it was time for dessert, it had set and thickened a little bit while in the refrigerator but overall, the flavors were perfect.  It's a great tasting dessert and hours later when hubby and I had another serving, the cream had thickened even more.  The angel cake had also soaked up the berry juices and the Limoncello syrup, MERCY!!!  Mmmm,  I LOVE SUMMER TIME!!!!

I partied at:

     
This recipe was featured on:

Scrumptious Strawberry Shortcake

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 egg, beaten

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

3 tablespoons white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl, mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and cream of tartar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives. Stir in cream and egg. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 minutes. Press into a half-inch thick sheet. Cut into squares. Place on baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over sliced berries.

Let shortcakes cool before splitting and filling with sugared berries

I came home today to a scrumptious homemade lasagna meal followed by this scrumptious dessert thanks to our daughter, Elise.  The lasagna was awesome, so delicious.  The strawberry shortcake was a great treat.  It's strawberry season so it's normal to be in the mood to eat strawberries. mmmm-mmmmm! scrumptious!! Thanks Lisee!  ~isavortheweekend