Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

This one’s been in the blog bank for a while - since Mother’s Day to be exact. I wanted to bring a cake to a family potluck for mother’s day. The Huz’s family has 5 aunts (and one uncle) so they like to celebrate Mother’s Day together. Instead of bringing a cheesecake, why not make a cake that plays on a cheesecake? I’m really into desserts that are like other desserts (e.g., a cake that’s a take on a pie, an ice cream that tastes like birthday cake, a doughnut that tastes like root beer, etc). It’s confusing and awesome.

This cake has many components, so I premade the cake layers and froze them and kept the graham crunch in an airtight container until assembly day.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Graham Crunch

adapted from Milk Bar Cookbook

Ingredients

¾ cup graham crumbs

2 Tablespoons milk powder

1 Tablespoon sugar

pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss graham crumbs, milk powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl to combine.
3. Pour in butter and cream and toss to combine.
4. Spread on a baking sheet and break apart large chunks. Bake for 25 minutes tossing halfway through.
5. Cool completely. Break apart and big pieces. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Vanilla Cake

From Anna Olson.

Baked in 3, 6-inch cake pans. 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

If the cakes dome, cut off to make them flat (and you can eat the best part of the cake!)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients

¼ cup butter, softened

½ cup cream cheese, softened

½ teaspoon lemon juice

½ cup icing sugar

3 Tablespoons strawberry jam

pinch of salt

Directions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer to combine.
2. Add lemon juice, icing sugar, jam, and salt and beat until fluffy.

Cream Cheese Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients

½ cup cream cheese, room temperature

1 ¼ cup butter, room temperature

1 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 jar marshmallow cream

pinch of salt

pink food colouring

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together with a stand mixer (paddle attachment) to combine. Add icing sugar and vanilla and beat to combine.
2. Add marshmallow cream and salt and beat to combine.
3. For an ombre decorating effect, colour ⅓ of the frosting with a dark pink and the remaining ⅔ light pink (less food colouring).

*note that this frosting won’t be completely smooth - it’ll look a little bit curdled. I know, not ideal for a frosting, but it does taste great.

Assembly

Components

1. 1 cup thinly sliced strawberries
2. Vanilla cake layers
3. Strawberry jam
4. Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
5. Cream Cheese Marshmallow Frosting

1. Smear a small dollop of strawberry cream cheese filling on you cake plate or cake board. Ideally, use a turntable for easier decorating. Place the first layer of cake on top.
2. Spread strawberry jam. Top with strawberry slices.
3. Spread the strawberry cream cheese filling and sprinkle the graham crumbs on top.
4. Place next cake layer and repeat. Finish with the final layer.
5. Frost the entire cake with the light pink cream cheese marshmallow frosting. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
6. Spread the dark pink frosting on the bottom ⅓ of the cake. Smooth out with a large spatula, blending the line between the two colours as you twirl the cake around.
7. Add graham crumbs along the bottom. Decorate to your liking. Keep in the fridge until an hour before serving.

Verdict: I really liked the flavours of this cake - really reminiscent of a strawberry cheesecake. The crunch of the graham crumbs on the outside gave the cake an interesting texture. Too bad that the graham inside the cake turned soft. It was definitely a crowd pleaser!

Vanilla Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I recently bought a townhouse. To celebrate, I threw a housewarming party and decided to make an ice cream cake for dessert.

Dairy Queen ice cream cakes – yay or nay? I pretty much only like the cookie fudge middle. My plate is always left with sad looking vanilla and chocolate soft serve because I just eat the middle. But I think my problem with that cake is that it’s soft serve. If it was real ice cream, I think I’d love it.

So, my ice cream cake was going to be made with real ice cream. And not that stuff from the store that has a bunch of ingredients that I can’t pronounce, meaning they really shouldn’t be in my ice cream. I’m talking about the home make stuff – with egg yolks, and real vanilla, and only ingredients you’re familiar with! And you know what? It’s going to have cake too – because ice cream cake without the cake part, is just ice cream shaped like a cake if you ask me.

The great thing about this type of cake is that the options are endless! I went simple, but you can mix and match ice cream and cake flavours and add extras like cookies, crumbles, nuts, fruit, and sundae syrup between the layers. And multiple ice cream flavours!

Vanilla Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

Parts:

Vanilla cake

Vanilla ice cream

Strawberry jam

Whipped cream frosting

*Note, this cake takes 3 days to make

Vanilla Cake (Make on day 1)

Use your favorite vanilla cake recipe. I halved this one and baked it in a 6-inch pan. Feel free to use whatever size you like!

After baking and cooling the cake, cut into two layers. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

Alternatively, you can buy a pre-made pound cake.

Vanilla Ice Cream (Make on day 1 or 2)

You can use your favorite store bought ice cream. Or make it from scratch! I used this recipe by David Lebovitz. 

If making from scratch and refrigerating the base overnight, make on day 1. If not refrigerating base overnight, make on day 2 (same day as assembly).

Whipped Cream Frosting (Make on day 3)

Ingredients

2 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

Gel food colouring

Directions

1.  Chill metal bowl before whipping. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks.

2.  Sift icing sugar and add vanilla. Beat to stiff peaks.

3.  Add food colouring to your desired shade and beat to blend.

*I added a stabilizer (like Whip It http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Oetker-Stabilizer-Whipping-Packets/dp/B000NY8OLU), but since it’s going to be frozen, I don’t think it’s necessary in retrospect.

Assembly

Day 2:

1.  If using store bought ice cream, take out and soften for about 10-15 minutes before proceeding. If using scratch ice cream, it should be in soft-serve consistency (feel free to stick in the freezer until ready).

2.  Smear a little jam on the cake plate. Place frozen cake layer on top. Spread jam on top.

3.  Wrap stiff acetate tightly around the cake and tape to secure.

4.  Spread ice cream over the cake – up to you on how much and how tall you want the cake!

5.  Spread jam on the other cake layer. Carefully place it on top of the ice cream, jam side down.

6.  Freeze overnight.

Day 3:

7.  Make whipped cream frosting.

8.  Take acetate off cake. Frost cake with whipped cream and decorate to your preference. Freeze until ready to serve.

 

Acetate around the cake.

 

Verdict: This ice cream recipe was A-MAAAzing! So creamy, rich, and flavourful! I only used ¾ of it in the cake, so I had a bit left over. And good thing too because my friends requested it and devoured it! I’m dreaming up new flavour combos!

Strawberry Rice Crispy Pops

What is it about food on sticks that make them so fun? Is it that food doesn’t readily come on sticks on a regular basis (unless you’re from South East Asia – think satay)? Is it that we associate fun/not-so-good-for-us foods-but tasty foods with the stick delivery (e.g., lollipops, ice cream bars, popsicles, corn dogs)? I’m pretty sure I’d like certain things a lot more if it came in stick form.

Desserts on sticks are blowing up lately! Cake + stick = cake pops; Pie + stick = pie pops; get the pattern? I wanted to try the Rice Crispy Pop because compared to the cake/pie pops, they are sooo easy. And just by inserting a stick, makes them so cute and appetizing!

I found a bag of HUGE strawberry marshmallows (meant for campfires and s’mores). Invented: Strawberry Rice Crispy Pops. I made these for a one year old’s Hello Kitty themed party.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Strawberry Rice Crispy Pops 

Ingredients

¼ cup salted butter

5 cups strawberry marshmallows (If using the large ones, cut them into quarters)

½ teaspoon vanilla

6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

¾ cup white candy melts

Sprinkles

Lollipop sticks

Directions

1.  In a big pot, melt butter on medium low. Add marshmallows and melt (stirring occasionally).

2.  Take off heat and add vanilla and stir.

3.  Add Rice Krispies and working quickly, stir to combine. Pour and press into a pan (I used an 8 x 8 inch pan). When it cools slightly, use an offset spatula to press down so you get a flat surface. Cool completely.

4.  Place candy melts in a double boiler on low and melt, stirring occasionally. Set out parchment to place your dipped Rice Crispy Pops on to harden.

5.  Cut Rice Krispies into desired size. Use a ruler and take the entire thing out of the pan before cutting for uniform squares (I learned that through trial and error!).

6.  Spoon the candy melts over the squares, decorate with sprinkles, and set to dry before inserting sticks. Voila!

Verdict: I think these looked so cute! They were chewy and delicious as Rice Crispy Squares are. And not super artificially strawberry-y! Everyone kept asking how I got them pink! No need to added food colouring here!

Strawberry Marshmallows

It was my good friend’s daughter’s 8^th birthday and she had the best party planned – a baking and crafting party!!! She asked me to lead a baking station and of course I said Yes! I’ve been doing baking sessions with her daughter, which have been really fun, so she thought it would nice to extend it to her daughter’s friends.

Since we only had a limited amount of time during the party, I decided to pre-bake the goodies and have the kids decorate them. I made vanilla bean cupcakes and butter cookies for the kids to frost with buttercream in the theme colours and lots of sprinkle options.

My friend was planning a sweet bar/display for which I suggested I make marshmallows. I’ve been wanting to try the LorAnn strawberry flavouring that’s been sitting in my cupboard, so this was a great opportunity to test it.

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

 

Spoiler: I had to throw out the first batch as I added too much flavouring – LorAnn flavouring is super strength so don’t be fooled – it’s SUPER strength.

Strawberry Marshmallows

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

5 teaspoon unflavoured gelatin

½ cup cold water

¾ cup sugar

½ cup light corn syrup (divided into ¼ and ¼ cup)

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon LorAnn super strength flavouring (I used strawberry)

Pink gel food colouring

2 Tablespoons sprinkles (more to sprinkle on top)

Coating

¾ cup icing sugar

½ cup cornstarch

Directions

1.  In a small bowl, combine gelatin and ½ cup cold water. Let it sit for 5 minutes so that the gelatin absorbs the water.

2.  In a saucepan, combine sugar, ¼ cup corn syrup, ¼ cup water, and salt. Heat on high until 240 degrees F.

3.  Meanwhile, microwave gelatin for 30 seconds or until dissolved. Place in a bowl of a stand mixer along with the remaining ¼ cup corn syrup. Mix with the whisk attachment on low until the sugar in the saucepan comes to temperature.

4.  When the sugar mixture has reached 240 degrees, pour it in a slow stream into the bowl of the stand mixer.

5.  Increase speed to medium, then medium-high, then max and beat for 5 minutes at each speed.

6.  Add vanilla and other flavouring and beat to incorporate. Add food colouring and beat to incorporate.

7.  Add 2 tablespoons of sprinkles and beat to incorporate.

8.  If piping, add to a piping bag and pipe on a piece of parchment dusted with lots of icing sugar. If using a pan, line with parchment and dust with lots of icing sugar. Pour into pan and spread. Top with additional sprinkles.

9.  Let it set overnight. Cut (or use cookie cutters) and toss in a mixture of ¾ cup icing sugar and ½ cup cornstarch. (I did this a couple times to make sure that they weren’t sticky.) Store in an airtight container.

Verdict: The marshmallows were super easy to make and turned out nice and fluffy. I liked the look of the piped ones from the first batch – too bad I had to throw them out due to a heavy hand with the flavouring. Live and learn.

The birthday party was really fun! It’s so rewarding giving kids an opportunity to get creative and see what they can make. They seemed to really enjoy it. Check out these photos from the party:

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Loaf

I wanted to make something for my dad for Father’s day.  A consideration for anything I bake for my dad is that it needs to be butter free.  Remember these angel food cupcakes I made for him? Butter free!  The great thing about cakes that use oil instead of butter is that it they stay moist since oil is liquid at room temperature.  (I guess on the flip side, butter brings that nice buttery flavour to baked goods.)  I decided on a lemon yogurt loaf – and why not throw in some strawberries and jam?

Check out the verdict on this Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Loaf!

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Loaf

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plain full fat yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 large eggs
2 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil

1 cup diced strawberries

1/3 cup jam, any flavor
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the sides.

2.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

3.  Beat yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth.

4.  Add flour mixture and mix slowly until almost incorporated.

5.  Pour in oil and fold in by hand with a spatula.

6.  Fold in diced strawberries.

7.  Spoon some batter into the loaf pan.  Dollop jam on the batter.  Spoon more batter on top, then dollop more jam.  Repeat a few more times.  Top with a few strawberries for a nice presentation.

8.  Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  If using a bigger loaf pan than mine, it might only take about 60 minutes.

9.  While baking, make syrup by heating lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

10. When done baking, cool for 10 minutes.  Drizzle with syrup and wait until it soaks in.  You can take the loaf out the pan and drizzle any remaining syrup on the sides and bottom.

 

Dollops of jam

Ready to bake

Verdict: This loaf turned out super moist and flavorful!  The bits of strawberry and jam inside the loaf gave it different bursts of berry flavor amongst a lemon cake.  My dad really like it, especially since it didn’t have any butter.