Strawberry Preserves Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

So it was my birthday a couple of weeks ago.  I'm gonna be honest, it was a rough one.  First, it was an age that I wasn't really looking forward to turning. (Vain, I know. I'm a work in progress.)  My kids and I were all super sick.  I had to clean my house because I had company coming the next day.  My husband was going to take me out to eat but we were all to sick to even get out.  No cake, no candles, nada.  I know, poor pitiful me.  This is how I envisioned my birthday going down:

It went down more like this:

However, I decided I was not going to have a pity party. (Well, I had a small one that only lasted a little while. There wasn't even music or anything.)  God has richly blessed me!  I have a really wonderful husband that still thinks I'm beautiful even though I have a few more wrinkles then last year, 3 precious kids, my health, my salvation, I have a great life.  I get to look at these faces everyday:

But a girl still wants her cake.  So when I was feeling better I made myself one of my favorite cakes of all time.  Strawberry Preserves Cake.  Fluffy, tender layers of sweet strawberry cake wrapped up in rich, creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting.  It is so yummy!  The nice thing about this cake is it can be made even when strawberries aren't in season and right now you can use your fresh strawberry jam from Summer's bounty.  Plus, it's pink.  That warms a girls heart, even if the girl isn't really a "girl" anymore. =)


Ingredients:


2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup strawberry preserves
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
Strawberry- Cream-Cheese Frosting


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottoms of 2 (9-inch) cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly coat each pan with baking spray; set aside. 



In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer for approximately 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add preserves and then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl and add vanilla extract and enough food coloring to achieve desired color.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture. Divide batter equally between prepared pans and spread evenly.
Bake on the middle rack of oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack in pans for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and let cool completely. 


Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:


1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened 
1/4 cup strawberry preserves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-5 cups powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 pinch of salt


Directions:


In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add strawberry preserves and vanilla, beating until well combined. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt, beating until smooth.  Spread icing between layers and on top and sides of cake.

I'm linked up at:
http://33shadesofgreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/tasty-tuesdays-zucchini-fritters-with.html
http://www.somethingswanky.com/2011/08/sweet-treats-thursday-and-uprint.html
http://www.blessedwithgrace.net/2011/08/tempt-my-tummy-tuesday-shrimp-and-tortellini-salad-with-balsamic-vinaigrette/
http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/2011/08/full-plate-thursday-9-1-11.html
http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2011/08/turning-the-table-thursday-13/
http://mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/2011/08/your-whims-wednesday-22-and-features.html
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/2011/08/show-and-tell-linking-party-7.html
http://gingersnapcrafts.blogspot.com/
http://cookiesxo.blogspot.com/
http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/
http://www.larkscountryheart.com/
http://www.pinchofthisthatandtheother.blogspot.com/
http://thischickcooks.blogspot.com/
http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/
http://alliemakes.blogspot.com/
http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.alli-n-son.com/2011/09/01/peanut-butter-caramel-sauce/
http://mangoesandchutney.com/2011/09/fat-camp-friday-43-starbucks-mocha-coconut.html
http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/

Chocolate Truffle Cake

I made this cake for my husband's birthday last year and it was a huge hit.  A friend requested the recipe so I thought I would share it with all of you.  I apologize for the picture, I took it last year before I was blogging.  Hopefully my pictures are getting better and maybe one day I'll get a fancy camera that takes really good pics.  I know it looks labor intensive but it really comes together very easily.  The truffle filling and Ganache are so easy to make, they are both made in the microwave.  This is seriously chocolate heaven. So rich and intensely delicious!  It makes an impressive cake that will wow any guest.  You can use any color ribbon you like, the chocolate brown ribbon went perfectly.  His birthday is coming up on Saturday and I am working hard to top this cake!  Get a glass of milk and sit down to a big slice of chocolate bliss!  


**The cake can be made a day ahead of time but do not put the cookies on until shortly before serving, they lose their crispiness.  




Chocolate Truffle Cake


Ingredients:


 8 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
Unsweetened cocoa
Chocolate Truffle Filling
Ganache
2 (14 ounce) containers chocolate hazelnut rolled wafer cookies ( I used Pirouline)


Directions:


Microwave chocolate in a glass bowl at High for 1 minute or until melted, stirring once.


Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy ( about 2 minutes).  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.  Add cooled chocolate and vanilla until blended.


Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.


Pour batter into 3 greased parchment paper-lined 9-inch round cake pans dusted with cocoa.  Bake at 350 for 21-22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.  Remove cake layers to wire racks; cool completely.


Spread Chocolate Truffle Filling between layers.  Reserving 1/4 cup ganache, spread remaining Ganache on top and sides of cake.  Break cookies into long pieces.  Line sides of cake with cookies.  Spoon reserved Ganache on top of the center of the cake; place broken cookie pieces into mound of Ganache.


Chocolate Truffle Filling


4 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons whipping cream
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted


Microwave chocolate and butter at High 1 minute or until melted, stirring once.  Stir in whipping cream.  Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until blended and smooth.


Ganache


10 (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream


Microwave chocolate and whipping cream in a medium glass bowl at High 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring once.  Cool 20 minutes.


Enjoy!


I'm linked up at http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com ,/http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/ ,
http://www.alli-n-son.com/ and http://www.wellseasonedlife.com/
http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/?p=11985

Peach-Blueberry Upside -Down Cake

Summertime is this foodies favorite time of year, by far!  I love the warm weather, but I also love all the fresh fruits and vegetables.  It makes cooking even more enjoyable.  Yes, I find cooking very enjoyable.  Actually, it's therapeutic for me.  My husband might come home to find me rocking with a crazed look on my face, talking to myself if I didn't cook/bake.  Oh wait, he does.  I'm kidding!  I have wonderful, rumbustious children!  


This cake is so moist!  It has wonderful sweetness from the fruit and the brown sugar and honey glaze it creates when baking.  You can use frozen blueberries, just make sure you use them straight out of the freezer so they hold their shape.  This would be great served for brunch too!








Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened and divided
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 medium peaches
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar (granulated)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350.  Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9-inch round cake pan (sides need to be at least 2 inches high)
in preheated oven.  Remove from oven and using a pastry brush, coat sides with the melted butter from the pan.  Sprinkle brown sugar; drizzle honey over brown sugar.  Arrange peach slices in concentric circles (see image below) over brown sugar mixture.  Sprinkle with blueberries.


Beat granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.


Stir together flour and baking powder.  Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Spoon batter over the blueberries and peaches.


Bake at 350. for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully run a knife around edge of cake to loosen.  Invert cake onto a serving plate or cake stand (it needs to have edges like mine).  Spoon any remaining topping in pan over cake.  


Enjoy!

You can check out this recipe on http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/  and http://tidymom.net/

Chocolate Sheet Cake

I am not kidding, words cannot describe this sheet cake. It so incredibly delicious. Chocolate heaven.  Sheet cakes make a large cake, however they are thin. So you can eat more pieces because they are thin, right? I thought so to. This is the best sheet cake I have ever eaten. I really don't think I can sleep at night if you don't try this. =)  This is a great cake to take to a potluck, if you can stand to share it.


Ingredients:
recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• ½ cups Buttermilk
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

• FOR FROSTING:
• ½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans (optional if you have a picky husband =)
• 1-¾ stick Butter
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 6 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar (you may need a little more, taste to see if it's to your liking )

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Cut yourself a square and completely freak out over the fact that you made something this delicious. 

Enjoy!

I used a half sheet pan. You can also use a jelly roll pan. If you want it thick use a 10 x 15 in. pan. You may need to adjust cooking time.

Look at that beautiful shiny icing. This would make a great birthday cake!

I told you it was delicious, he's even licking the bowl!

Mom, I need more!

AHHHHHH!