Layered Berry Pound Cake Food

LAYERED BERRY POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Cream together the cream cheese, lemon zest, juice, and powdered sugar.
• Whip the cream to stiff peaks and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
• Using a serrated knife, level the top of the pound cake and if desired, straighten up the sides to make it a uniform rectangle. (Save the scraps for something else.)
• Slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers.
• Line a loaf pan with parchment paper that overhangs the pan, giving you two tabs to pull up to later remove the cake.
• Place one layer of pound cake into the bottom of the pan. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture followed by a later of berries and another thin layer of cream cheese. Top with another layer of pound cake and repeat, ending with the top later of pound cake and the remaining cream cheese mixture.
• Wrap the top and whole pan with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, use the parchment to gently lift the cake out of the pan. Serve with more berries if desired.

BERRY LAYER MAGIC CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with a 12-by-8-inch piece of parchment paper leaving an overhang on 2 sides.
• Melt the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, about 1 minute. Brush the parchment paper with some of the melted butter, then flip it over and press it back in the pan. Brush the other side of the paper and the sides of the pan with butter.
• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar vigorously in a large bowl until pale, creamy and thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the remaining melted butter and whisk until incorporated. Add the salt and all but 2 tablespoons of the flour, mixing until completely combined.
• Heat the milk in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup in the microwave until warm, about 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and vanilla to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly until well combined (the batter will be thin). Toss the berries with the reserved 2 tablespoons flour and gently stir into the mixture.
• Beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar in a clean bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed in until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Scrape the whites into the yolk mixture, gently breaking them up a little with a whisk. Using a whisk, gently stir and fold the mixture a few times to coat the whites with liquid while keeping as much volume as possible (the batter will not be homogeneous). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
• Bake until the top is browned and puffed and the cake is mostly set with a slight jiggle in the center, about 1 hour. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours.
• To serve, dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar. Run a small offset spatula or thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Cut the cake into 9 squares and serve topped with whipped cream.

TWO LAYERED BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 f. grease bottom and sides of two 9-inch round pans with butter.
• In a large bowl beat all ingredients except frosting and strawberries with electric mixer.
• Bake pans for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack and cool completely.
• Cover first cake with frosting then add some sliced strawberries, cover the bottom of the second cake with frosting and place on top of the first cake. Then cover both cakes completely with frosting, grate chocolate on top and add strawberries for decoration.

OLD FASHIONED POUND CAKE & RASPBERRY TRIFLE

Steps:

• Line bottoms & sides of three 8x4 loaf pans with parchment paper--do NOT grease; preheat oven to 325; place oven rack in lower position.
• In a large bowl, mix pound cake dry ingredients; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy & fluffy, scraping bowl several times; add flavorings, then eggs three at a time--continue beating (a curdled appearance will be "beaten" out with thorough mixing).
• Now begin adding the flour in about half-cup portions, mixing well after each.
• Turn batter into prepped pans, quickly pushing it higher around edges than in center (this will keep the top level).
• Bake for 20 minutes, then increase oven temp to 350, bake 40 minutes longer (crack on top will be slightly browned--showing no moistness).
• Cool for 5 minutes on cooling rack, then remove from pans to finish cooling--DO NOT REMOVE PAPER!
• When cooled, wrap waxed paper around two of the loaves, and then plastic wrap & freeze. Slice the remaining loaf into 12-15 slices, then cubes; set aside.
• WHIPPED CREAM LAYER: In a mixing bowl, beat cream with sugar until stiff peaks form; set aside.
• CREAM CHEESE LAYER: In another bowl, beat cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla and sugar. Add about 2 cups of the whipped cream and the lemon zest--fold in; set aside.
• BERRY LAYER: Set aside one cup of berries for garnish. Sprinkle remaining berries with sugar, then lightly mash/crush them. Let them sit for about 30 minutes to get juicy---if you're short of time, add the water and this makes a nice juice too.
• JUST IN CASE: Check berries for bugs and inch-worms! They will float to the top of the juices. (Sorry to gross you out! But so much better you pick them out ahead than have them "appear" in the dessert!).
• ASSEMBLE THE TRIFLE: Sprinkle a layer of pound cake cubes in the bottom of a 3-quart glass serving bowl.
• Drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of berry juice over the cubes.
• Spread one fourth of cream cheese mixture over the cake cubes.
• Sprinkle one teaspoon of cocoa over this, then some crushed berries.
• REPEAT this twice. Add about half of the reserved berries to the last layer.
• Top with remaining cream cheese, whipped cream and sifted cocoa; remaining berries added as a garnish before serving.
• Cover & refrigerate for about 3 hours, altho' this is ready-to-eat now (taste really does improve!).