The Most Amazing Strawberry Cake

If you love strawberries you will love this cake! I used a cake mix (just because I had one), doctored up equate to the original recipe. I will list both versions below. 

This frosting is absolutely a show stopper! My grandson said it was the best cake he has ever eaten. You for sure want to make this one for that next special occasion. Perfect for Valentine"s Day. THIS CAKE MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED.

ORIGIONAL RECIPE:

1 pound fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

1 cup melted butter

1½ cups sugar

¼ cup sour cream

1½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp strawberry extract, optional

3½ cups cake flour

4 tsp baking powder

½ tsp table salt

4 large eggs, room temp

1 cup buttermilk, room temp

pink food coloring, optional

Add strawberries to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, util the mixture is thick and reduces by half, about 20 minutes. You should end up with just over 1 cup of reduced puree. Set aside for later use in both the cake and the frosting.

Lightly grease two 9" cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in one cup strawberry puree, sour cream, vanilla, and strawberry extract, if using. Reserve the remaining strawberry puree, up to ¼ cup, for the frosting.

Use a fork to combine the eggs and buttermilk together. Set aside.

In another bowl stir together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add half the milk mixture and combine. Add in another ⅓  of the dry ingredients until combined followed by the remaining milk mixture. Add remaining dry ,mixture and mix with hand mixer until just combined. Stir in food coloring, if using, adding a little at a time until desired color is achieved.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Let sit in pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

NOTE: I live in a high altitude area so I increase the flour by ¼ cup, reduce the baking temperature to 325 degrees, and bake it a little longer.

CAKE MIX VERSION:

1 pound fresh strawberries, prepared and reserved as in original recipe above

I box of strawberry cake mix

1 cup melted butter, cooled

¼ cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

Combine cake mx, cooled melted butter, sour cream. eggs, and vanilla. Add buttermilk. Fold in 1 cup of strawberry puree. Mix and bake as directed on box. 

NOTE: I live in a high altitude area so I have to add ¼ cup flour, and reduce the baking temperature to 325 degrees, and bake a little longer.

STRAWBERRY CHANTILLY CREAM FROSTING

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1.5 oz instant strawberry jello

2 cups powdered sugar, divided

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz mascarpone cheese, softened

reserved strawberry puree

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip cream and vanilla extract. Slowly add in strawberry jello while mixing. Once the cream reaches soft peaks, slowly add in ½ cup of the powdered sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese, mascarpone, and remaining ¼ cup strawberry puree. Whip until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the remaining 1½ cups powdered sugar. Mix until well combined.

Use a rubber spatula to fold the whipped cream mixture into the cheese mixture. Combine until no streaks remain. Frost the cake as usual. Refrigerate cake.

Red Velvet Cake

This is the most MOIST red velvet cake I have ever had. Take your choice of two different frostings. The Buttercup Bakeshop Icing is FANTASTIC.

CAKE BATTER

- 2 c flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp cocoa powder

- 3/4 c vegetable oil

- 1 1/2 c sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 oz red food coloring

- 1 c buttermilk

- 1 tsp baking soda

           

- 1 tsp vinegar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

CAKE TOPPER

- 3/4 c milk

- 1/2 c sugar

CREAM CHEESE ICING*

- 8 oz cream cheese, softened

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/4 c butter

- 1 box powdered sugar

- 3/4 c coconut

1.   Mix sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each. Stir in vanilla and vinegar, add food coloring. Mix till blended.

2.   Stir baking soda into buttermilk and add to mixture.

3.   Add flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Mix Well.

4.   Bake in 2 greased 8” round cake pans, or a 9x13” pan, at 350° for 30 minutes.

5.   While the cake is cooking, place ¾ cup milk and ½ cup sugar in saucepan and heat to dissolve sugar. When cake is done, remove from oven; pour hot dissolved sugar over the hot cake while still in pans. Allow to cool and remove from pans.

6.   Mix all icing ingredients well and frost cake.

*Choose either the cream cheese icing or this one, which is my personal favorite.

Buttercup Bakeshop Red Velvet Icing

2 cups milk
6 T. flour
2 cups COLD unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Whisk to combine in a heavy-bottomed pan, the milk and flour. Stir constantly over medium-low heat, until smooth and thick (about 12-18 min.) Let mixture cool. Stir frequently so it doesn't form a skin on top. If it should, remove it and discard. While cooling, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the cold butter and sugar until fluffy, 4-5 minutes. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. The long beating is what makes this so light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the cooled cooked mixture, one third at a time. Beat well after each addition. Beat another 3 minutes until it is like whipped cream.

This frosting is just out of this world. Good to use on other cakes as well. Do not refrigerate the cake. This frosting does not need refrigeration, nor will it be as good if you do.

NOTE:

This cake tastes better the second day after frosting. Keeps well covered at room temp.

Strawberry Angel Cake

The recipe calls for a store-bought angel food cake, but I make Grandma Leu's recipe (posted on the blog). It is a ton of work, but it is by far the best angel food cake out there. This is a low-fat dessert that absolutely everyone loves. Eat it the same day you make it.

4  cups  sliced strawberries
3/4  cup  sugar, divided
2  Tbs  evaporated milk
8  oz  low-fat cream cheese (not fat-free)
1  (10-inch)  angel food cake
3  Tbs  Triple Sec orange flavored liqueur
8  oz  reduced calorie Cool Whip, thawed
2  Tbs  almond slices, toasted

Combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Cover and let sit for one hour. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Beat at medium speed on mixer until smooth.

Cut cake in three layers, horizontally, using a serrated knife. Place bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with 1 Tbs liqueur and spread half of cream cheese mixture over cake. Using a slotted spoon, spoon 1/3 of strawberries over the cream cheese layer. Repeat layers, ending with cake and liqueur. Spread whipped topping on top and sides of cake. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Arrange the remaining strawberries on top of cake before serving. Sprinkle with almonds.

Grandma Leu's Famous Angel Food Cake

If there is one signature recipe our Grandma Leu is famous for, it's her angel food cake. She beats the egg whites by hand (the secret to this recipe) . . . and she sifts the flour an amazing 15 times (secret #2). Don't shortcut anything in this recipe. Believe me, it will not turn out (I've tried). Also, I pre-sift and pre-measure the flour and sugar so it is ready to go when the egg whites are whipped.
It is a labor of love that we all enjoy. Her recipe will live on in this family long after she leaves us.

2 1/2  cups  egg whites, room temperature (14-18 eggs)
Pinch of salt
1-1/2  tsp  cream of tartar
2  cups  sifted granulated sugar
1  cup  plus  3  Tbs  cake flour
1/4 - 1/2  tsp  almond extract
1-1/2  tsp  vanilla

In recent years she used a very large copper bowl to beat the egg whites in, but she didn't used to do this. So if you are fortunate enough to have a large copper mixing bowl, now is the time to use it. Otherwise, use what you have. Just be sure it is squeaky clean.

Also, Grandma has an angel food cake pan that she will not allow for any other use. She claims it affects the rise of the cake (???) I'm not convinced of that, but that's her story and she's stickin' with it.

So let's get started:
In a very large bowl, combine the salt with the egg whites. Let sit to get to room temperature. (Grandma prefers eggs that have never been refrigerated, but she's not on the farm anymore, so that's hard to find).  Using a wire whisk, whip the whites by hand until frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue to whip until stiff. (To check if they are stiff enough, gently turn the bowl to the side. If they run at all, continue to whip some more, but if you over-whip them they will be tough and dry.) Gently fold in the vanilla, almond, and 1 cup of sifted sugar.

Combine the remaining 1 cup pre-sifted sugar, along with all the cake flour. Sift this combination together 5 times if you have a triple sifter. Otherwise you must sift this 15 times before continuing.

Very gently, fold this flour mixture into the egg whites, small amounts at a time. You must do this with extreme care, so the egg whites won't deflate.

Put into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Very gently, cut through the batter with a knife to release any trapped air bubbles. Do this with a gentle hand . . . you don't want to mess it up now!

Bake @325 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven and turn the cake (still in the pan) upside-down over a large metal kitchen funnel, or a soda pop bottle. Cool it this way until the cake is completely cooled.
Cake needs to have good air circulation around the bottom while cooling.

Run a long sharp knife all around the outside and inside of the cake to release it from the pan. Grandma uses a plain powdered sugar frosting for this cake, but I much prefer the angel food cake frosting found under Frosting in this recipe collection.

Nellie Powell's Oatmeal Cake

Nellie Powell was Grandma Leu's mother. She gave me this recipe more than 60 years ago, before I was ever married to her grandson. I have not made this cake myself, but the note she put on the hand written recipe card said she very much liked this cake. So for preserving family history, I must include this recipe for our family.

1-1/2  cups  boiling water
1  cup  quick oats
3/4  cup  brown sugar
3/4  cup  granulated sugar
1/4  tsp  salt
1/2  cup  shortening
2  eggs
1-1/2  cups  flour
1  tsp  baking powder
1  tsp  cinnamon

Cream together shortening, sugars, and eggs. Add flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt alternately with boiling water. Stir in oats.

Bake in prepared 9x13" baking pan @350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool before frosting the cake.

Frosting:
1/2  tsp  salt
1  cup  coconut
1  cup  chopped nuts
6  Tbs  butter
1/4  tsp  vanilla
1/4  cup brown sugar
1/4  cup  granulated sugar
1/4  cup  half and half, or evaporated milk

Put everything in a saucepan, except nuts and vanilla. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add nuts and vanilla. Spread while hot on the cooled cake. Broil until bubbly.

Rhubarb Cake

1/2  cup  butter or margarine
1  egg
2  cups  flour
1/4  tsp  salt
1-1/2  cups small diced rhubarb
1  tsp  cinnamon
1-1/2  cups  brown sugar
1  tsp  baking soda
1  cup  buttermilk
1/4  cup  sugar

Cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs. Sift flour, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in rhubarb.

Mix cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over batter. Bake @350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, in  a prepared 9x13" baking pan. Serve warm. Top with ice cream, if desired.

You can substitute apples for the rhubarb and have a delicious apple cake.

My Best Gingerbread

That would be my Aunt Harriet's Best Gingerbread. She was a farm wife and 4-H leader for years, and won a blue ribbon at the county fair for her gingerbread.

1/2  cup  butter
1/2  cup  sugar
1  egg, beaten
2-1/2  cups  flour
1-1/2  tsp  baking soda
1 tsp  cinnamon
1/2  tsp  cloves
1/2  tsp  salt
1  cup  molasses
1  cup  hot water

Cream butter and sugar; add beaten egg. Sift dry ingredients together. Combine hot water and molasses. Add liquid and dry ingredients alternately to creamed mixture. Beat until smooth.

Bake in prepared 8" square pan for 45 minutes @350 degrees.

Italian Lemon Cake

This is really delicious. If you want a knock out desert, make homemade lemon custard ice cream to serve with it. The cake is very easy to make, and everyone raves about it. This cake tastes even better if you make it a day or two in advance.

1  box lemon cake mix (Duncan Hines preferred)

½ cup melted butter or coconut oil

1 cup milk

4 eggs

2  lb  ricotta cheese
4  large eggs
3/4  cup  sugar
1  tsp  vanilla

ICING:
1  box (4 oz)  instant lemon pudding mix
1  envelope  Dream Whip
1  cup  milk


Prepare cake mix according to package directions, replacing the water with milk, adding 4 eggs instead of 3, and using melted butter or coconut oil in place of oil (it's healthier). Lightly spray a 10” springform pan with PAM cooking spray, and dust with flour. Pour the batter into the pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Blend well with electric mixer. Spoon over cake batter and spread out. Bake @350° for 65 minutes. Turn oven off, leaving cake in the oven for another hour. 

Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Combine the pudding mix with the milk and whipped topping mix. Beat until  thickened, about 2 minutes. Frost the top of the cake only, letting the mixture droop over the sides of the cake, if needed. I usually just pile it all on top of the cake. Chill at least 2 hours before serving, but this cake definitely improves with age. So make it one, even two days ahead of serving. The cream cheese layer improves when making in advance.

Garnish with the raspberries, blueberries, and mint leaves, if desired.

Gold Cake

You can use any flavor of cake and pudding in this recipe and it comes out beautifully. 
Absolutely delicious with Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate cake mix, and a large box of instant chocolate pudding mix. Makes a fudge-like cake. Frost with Star's Best Rich Chocolate Frosting.


1  box  Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix
1  pkg  (3.4 oz)  instant vanilla pudding (not sugar-free)
1  envelope  Dream Whip powder
1  cup  water
3  eggs
1  tsp  vanilla

Combine ingredients in large mixer bowl and mix on low speed for oneminute. Increase to medium speed and beat 4 minutes. Pour into greased and floured pans (2-9" round or 1-9x13 oblong).

Bake in pre-heated 325° oven, 30-35 minutes, or until cake springs back when gently touched. Cool in pans 15 minutes before turning out of pan onto rack. Cool completely and then ice with Chocolate Icing.