COLD OVEN POUND CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND WHIPPED CREAM

Last March my grandson, Alex, had his first birthday party.  It was a farm themed party and soooo cute.  Alex had a birthday smash cake but my daughter and I made these cute little desserts out of empty baby food jars and served them to the children instead of birthday cakes or cupcakes.  It was so simple to do.  We used my pound cake recipe, topped with chopped, fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream.  We used a stamp to put the "happy birthday" on the wooden spoons. I purchased both from Etsy (it has been a year so I cannot remember which companies though).  Just look for mini wooden dessert spoons. Then we wrapped the spoon around the jar with decorative colored string.

It occurred to me that this dessert and idea would be perfect for bringing to a Super Bowl party.  For the Patriots, you could wrap the jar with blue and red string and still use the fresh strawberries.  For the Seahawks, you could use fresh blueberries and wrap the jar with blue and green string.  You could do a mixture if you are not sure who you want to win.

You have 6 days to hit up any friends who have small children to save their baby food jars so start now.  I think we made about 30.

This dessert is super easy and it looks so festive. 

One of the best parts is you could actually make your pound cake anytime this week, wrap it in saran wrap, and then put it in the freezer.  Take it out the night before and let it thaw.  Chop your strawberries and whip up some fresh whipped cream.  Blueberries just have to be rinsed.  If you don't want to make your own whipped cream you can use Cool Whip.  I will say though, there is a big difference between the two.  I would definitely go to the extra trouble.  It only takes about a minute or two.  Make sure no one throws their jars away.  Just pop them in the dishwasher and put them away for your next party!  These jars are so versatile.

 

 

SUPER BOWL MVP PARFAITS

Pound Cake (click here to go to my recipe)
Don't forget you can make this ahead and freeze, taking it out of the freezer the night before you  want to use it.

Strawberries (chopped into bite sized pieces)Blueberries, Raspberries (whatever fruit you like),

Fresh Whipped Cream (or Cool Whip)

Cube your pound cake into small, bite-size pieces (You may not need it all so I would just start with half of the cake.  Save the rest to serve in slices, if you like)

Place a dollop of fresh Whipped Cream into the bottom of the jar

Place a few pieces of cubed pound cake.

Gently spoon berries on top...leave room for the whipped cream.

Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of the berries.

Place a couple of chopped strawberries, blueberries or a raspberry on top.


FRESH WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup of Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Put bowl that you will use to mix in into the freezer for at least 15 minutes with the beaters.

Take bowl out of freezer and pour in whipping cream, sugar and vanilla.

Beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Do not beat too long or it will become lumpy like butter.

ENJOY!

STRAWBERRY DIP

I love super-easy recipes.  This recipe wins the prize for being the tastiest and easiest!

I made it this past weekend for a bridal brunch for one of my daughter's dearest friends, Melissa.  She is a girl with a beautiful smile, beautiful heart and one of the most entertaining lives! Ha!  If anything is going to happen, it will always happen to Melissa and I love to hear her newest stories.  I am so happy that she has found her true soul mate.  She deserves every happiness and I cannot wait to see them begin their happily ever after in just a little under 3 weeks!! So excited!

Okay, back to the recipe.  I don't know where I got this recipe but I know I have made it a hundred times (I may be exaggerating a bit)! I have made it for showers, holidays, funerals, just about any time people gather together, this is a delightful thing to serve. Unless you are allergic to any of these ingredients, you will love it and it is totally a gluten-free dessert! Yep, it;s pretty much perfect! I mean, if you can work a mixer and you over the age of 5, you can make this recipe!  It has 2 ingredients...marshmallow creme and strawberry cream cheese.  How can you go wrong...I could eat either of these with a spoon by themselves but mixed together and dip a strawberry in it....ohhhhh myyyyy goshhhh!! Heavenly!

STRAWBERRY DIP

(2) 7 ounce jars of Marshmallow Creme

(1) 8 ounce container Strawberry Cream Cheese (fat-free is just as good)

Strawberries for dipping

Empty 2 jars of marshmallow creme into a medium sized bowl.

Add cream cheese.

Mix well using a hand mixer.

Pour into a bowl and serve with strawberries.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM SHEET CAKE

 

Okay, I am hoping to win back some of the people I lost yesterday when I posted that less than appealing picture of quinoa.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGUHKMCZcnslKKOpBJ-KmjM47_vJRpsE-OafU-MAbPKTF9P9LLVBVc7zHMZMIfzEy6Oqcvp_Sgjd5Smz_2CrMDAlwD9wKiVLgwRlKv2sEV6P3IIjGc344I4Vwl6ycmaDRg1IsU7lj-8k/s1600/herbed+quinoa.jpg  Surely, this will do it.  This cake is heaven on a plate!  Just look at it...doesn't it make you want to stuff the whole thing in your mouth....or is that just me completely out of control!

 

I made this for the first time at Easter.  I think that is when I gained 5 pounds in one day!  This cake is just perfectly moist and the fresh strawberries in both the batter and the icing just put it over the top on the yummy scale!

 

Here are a couple of tips that I have found helpful when baking a cake.  First, make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature.  If you don't have time to allow your eggs to come to room temperature, you can place them in a cup of warm water to take the chill off.  Second, when it comes to baking, always follow the instructions.  Baking is more like a science, while cooking can be tweaked here and there.  Third, use cake flour instead of just all purpose flour.  It has a finer texture than all-purpose flour and gives your cake a fluffier texture.  Lastly, check your oven often to make sure it is heating at the correct temperature.  I have an oven that skips all over the place.  I will put the cake in a 350 degrees and 10 minutes later, my oven will shoot up to 360 then down to 330.  So, count your blessings if you have an accurate oven.  If you have one like mine, just do your best to keep it at an even temperature.

 

Southern Living had this cake in one of their recent magazines.  They always have the best recipes and I love getting my monthly magazine and see what kind of goodies they share.  This cake is going up to the church tonight for the Vacation Bible School workers.  I hope they enjoy it.  I am so thankful for their willingness to teach and help our little ones come to know the Lord and learn about what a wonderful God we serve. 

 

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM SHEET CAKE

 

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

 

1 cup Butter, softened

2 cups Sugar

2 large Eggs

2 teaspoons fresh Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2-1/2 cups Cake Flour

2 tablespoons Strawberry-Flavored Gelatin

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Table Salt (omit if you are using salted butter)

1 cup Buttermilk

2/3 cup chopped Fresh Strawberries

Strawberry Frosting (recipe below) 

 

Beat 1 cups of butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy. 

Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Stir together 2-1/2 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons strawberry jello, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon table salt (omit if you are using salted butter).  Add 1/3 of the mixture alternately with the 1 cup of buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat at low speed until blended.

Stir in 2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries.

Pour into a greased, floured 13 X 9 inch pan.  I use Baker's Joy.  Spread batter in pan and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Now Southern Living says to cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes.  I let mine cool for about 10 minutes and then flipped it out onto a wire cooling rack until completely cool....about 1 hour.  Spread Strawberry Frosting on top and on sides of cake.

STRAWBERRY FROSTING

 

1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar, divided

2/3 cup chopped fresh Strawberries

1 drop pink food coloring gel (I didn't use this)

1-1/2 cups Heavy Cream

3 tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice

 

Place a stainless steel bowl and the beaters in the freezer and leave them there until you are ready to use.

 

 

1.  Beat 1 - 8 ounce cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, add 2/3 cups chopped strawberries and food coloring (if desired); beat until blended.

 

 

2.  Beat 1-1/2 cups heavy cream and 3 tablespoons lemon juice at medium speed until foamy increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture, fold in remaining cream mixture.  Use immediately.

NOTE:  Stiff peaks mean that the cream mixture will hold firmly onto the beaters.  Do not overbeat or you will end up with butter.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

ONE OF THOSE DAYS.....

We all have "one of those days" in the kitchen when you wish you could start over.  Well today was one of those days for me!!

Jessica  is turning 23 tomorrow!  Woo-Hoo!!  I just love this girl.  She is one of the sweetest and prettiest girls I know and I wanted to make her a dessert for her birthday.  When I asked her yesterday what kind of dessert she wanted, she said chocolate!!  Perfect!  I just happen to have a recipe for a chocolate cake that I have been making for years and years and everyone who loves chocolate loves this cake.  It is so easy to make and it is probably the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten....I can say that because it is not my recipe so if you follow the instructions, you can't go wrong....or that is what I used to think before today!!!!

I should have known something was gonna go wrong because I was running ahead of schedule and I am always running behind!

I had enough time to actually take pictures to share on here while I was cooking.  

I added all the ingredients and poured it in a pan.  

Let me say right here that I know that disposable aluminum pans are ugly!  My thinking was that if I put it in one she wouldn't have to worry about washing the dish and returning it to me!  But I really hate the way it looks....especially for a birthday cake so that was my first mistake!   Anyway, I popped it in the oven and while it was cooking, I started the icing (my favorite part because I love to lick the spoon)!!

Just a little FYI...not too long ago I was trying to find a really great tasting vanilla for baking.  I bought this Tahitian Vanilla at Williams-Sonoma and I really love it.  Definitely makes the difference in flavor when baking!

I know this doesn't sound like a big deal, but I remembered that my sifter had broken and I didn't have one to sift the powdered sugar and you know how lumpy icing made with powdered sugar can be!  

I just had high hopes that I could beat it enough to get the lumps out....ummm nope!!  

When I poured it on the cake it looked like it had chickenpox....ugh!!

What to do?....what to do?........    I know....I will make some chocolate covered strawberries and put them on the cake to cover the "lumps" !  "Oh that is gonna look sooo good" is what I am thinking!  I decided I would make them this morning!

F.Y.I..... I found this Baker's Chocolate in it's own container.  So all I had to do was pop it in the microwave. When I was done, I just threw the entire container away...no mess!!  AMAZING!!

At this point, I have made them and they look really pretty so why? why? why...didn't I just leave well enough alone?  

I decide....well it is her birthday...I think I will cover them with sprinkles!  I can just hear you all saying NOOOOOO!!!!!  But YESSSSS I did!

I had sprinkles all over my kitchen when I was done and then I looked at my cake and thought "wow...this is just embarassing"!  I don't care how I arranged them....it was obvious nothing was gonna help! 

Sweet Jessica.....Bless her heart.....she got the ugliest cake I have ever made!!

Happy 23rd Birthday Jessica!!!

I hope you don't let this stop you from making this cake....it really is the BEST chocolate cake I have ever eaten!!  

Happy Birthday Jessica!  I'll make this up to you!!

JIFFY CHOCOLATE CAKE

CAKE:

1-1/2 sticks butter

1 cup water

4 tablespoons cocoa

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla

ICING:

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup milk

3-1/2 tablespoons cocoa

1 box powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and flour.  Add chocolate mixture and mix well with a mixer.  Add eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and 2 teaspoons vanilla and beat until well blended.  Pour into a greased, floured 13 X 9 pan and bake for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

While cake is cooking, add butter, milk, 3-1/2 tablespoons cocoa in a medium saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Take off fire and add powdered sugar a little at a time until well blended.  Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and pour over warm cake!  Enjoy!