July 1, 2011 - Strawberry Cake
Click here for short instructions
I went to a strawberry festival last weekend. We got to pick our own strawberries and enjoy some music. It was a great time. And they were having a recipe contest! So I came up with a new cake and icing recipe and made it in the shape of a strawberry. And to top it all off - my sister was here to help with the baking and baby-sitting. What a fun weekend!
To make this cake, you'll need a Cake-Shaping Strip (look here about how to make one), a sheet pan, heavy-duty aluminum foil, prepared cake batter (see below for a strawberry-banana cake recipe or use 2 boxes of cake mix), icing (see below for a strawberry banana icing or use about 2 16-oz. white-icing containers dyed as you wish), and about 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips.
First, make a Cake-Shaping Strip as described here using six sushi-mat segments. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, and shape the strip into a strawberry shape. Wrap the foil around the strip as best as you can, and add small foil balls in the areas having weaker foil coverage (e.g., around the stem).
Spray the foil and the strip with cooking spray, and pour prepared cake batter into your new pan. Bake until the cake is done. Cut away any "leaked" cake portions, and gently separate the strip from the cake.
Here is my recipe for strawberry banana cake:
Strawberry Banana Cake
Ingredients:
2 boxes of white cake mix
6 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
2 cups pureed frozen strawberries
1 cup mashed bananas
Directions:
Beat the cake mix, eggs, canola oil, strawberry puree, and mashed bananas. Bake until done (approximately 40 minutes).
Now you can decorate this cake using standard decorating icing or fondant, but I came up with a strawberry-banana icing to spread over the cake (except for the stem). The recipe for the icing is below:
Strawberry Banana Icing
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pureed. frozen strawberries
1/2 cup mashed bananas
8 ounces strawberry cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound plus one cup powdered sugar
Red food dye
Strawberry and banana extracts
Directions:
Place the cream cheese, butter, pureed strawberries, remaining mashed banana, lemon juice and salt in a large bowl. Add half of the powdered sugar. Beat the mixture. Gradually add the rest of the powdered sugar. Add food dye and extracts to your preference. Refrigerate the icing.
Frost the cake's "stem" first, then spread the strawberry banana icing on the cake. Make the strawberry's "seeds" by dropping mini chocolate chips on the cake. Enjoy!!
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