Strawberry Dream Cakecooks Country Food

STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the puree: Pulse the strawberries in a food processor, scraping as needed, until a smooth puree forms. Add the strawberry puree to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the puree reduces by half (to about 1 cup). Transfer the puree to a bowl and set aside to cool.
• For the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment rounds; lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl until combined. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, oil and vanilla in another bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the whole eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, until the batter is completely combined, smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup of the cooled strawberry puree. Reserve the rest of the puree for the frosting.
• Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cakes are a light golden brown and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the butter, beating until smooth. Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Remove 3 cups of the frosting to a medium bowl and set aside. Fold the reserved strawberry puree into the remaining frosting. Refrigerate both until slightly chilled and firm, about 20 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake domed-side down on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the strawberry frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake domed-side up on top. Spread the top and sides of the cake with 1 1/2 cups of the white frosting. Smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's okay if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining white frosting on the top of the cake and the upper half of the sides. There should be a band all around the bottom of the cake with the crumb coat exposed. Fill in the exposed area with 1 cup of the strawberry frosting. Use a large offset spatula to smooth the top and sides of the cake. The strawberry and white frostings should blend together during smoothing to create an ombre effect. Transfer the remaining strawberry frosting to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a medium star tip. Pipe 8 rosettes evenly spaced along the top border of the cake.

STRAWBERRY DREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Tear angel food cake into small pieces.
• Press firmly in 9x13 glass dish.
• Mix pudding with milk, folded in sour cream.
• Place on top of cake. Cover with sliced strawberries, folded into glaze.
• Place cool whip on top of strawberries.
• Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.
• Better the second day!

STRAWBERRY DREAM CAKE(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• 1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, grease parchment, and flour.
• 2. Transfer strawberries to bowl, cover, and microwave until strawberries are soft and have released their juice, about 5 minutes. Place in fine-mesh strainer set over small saucepan. Firmly press fruit dry (juice should measure at least 3/4 cup); reserve strawberry solids. Bring juice to boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk milk into juice until combined.
• 3. Whisk strawberry milk, egg whites, and vanilla in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give batter final stir by hand.
• 4. Scrape equal amounts of batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.).
• 5. For the frosting: Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix butter and sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add reserved strawberry solids and salt and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
• 6. Pat strawberries dry with paper towels. When cakes are cooled, spread 3/4 cup frosting over 1 cake round. Press 1 cup strawberries in even layer over frosting and cover with additional 3/4 cup frosting. Top with second cake round and spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining strawberries. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.).

STRAWBERRY COUNTRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. Then line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the lined pans.
• Cream the butter and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
• Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. If using 1 cake, wrap the second well and freeze.
• To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm. Slice one of the cakes in half with a long, sharp knife. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter, spread with 1/2 the whipped cream and scatter with sliced strawberries. Cover with the top slice of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with strawberries.

SAUSAGE RAGU (COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• NOTE: For a spicier sauce, substitute hot Italian sausage for sweet. (I use 1 lb of of each). If using sausage in the casing, remove meat and discard casings prior to processing in step 3. ***You will have 3 cups of EXTRA sauce, which can be used to sauce 1 pound of pasta, later . OR you can cook two pounds of pasta with this entire recipe of sause for a crowd***.
• INSTRUCTIONS.
• 1. Pulse fennel, onion, and fennel seeds in food processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed; transfer to separate bowl.
• 2. Process tomatoes in now-empty processor until smooth, about 10 seconds; transfer to second bowl.
• 3. Pulse sausage in now-empty processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• 4. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 10 to 15 minutes.
• 5. Add fennel mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. (Fond on bottom of pot will be deeply browned.) Add tomato paste, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 6. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and pureed tomatoes and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, until thickened, about 45 minutes. (Wooden spoon should leave trail when dragged through sauce.) Season with salt and pepper to taste; cover and keep warm.
• 7. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot (FOR ONE LB PASTA). Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add 3 cups sauce and 1⁄2 cup reserved cooking water to ONE LB of pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Transfer to serving dish. Drizzle with extra oil, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve. (Remaining 3 cups sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months).

SMITH ISLAND CAKE(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• For the frosting: Place chocolate in large bowl. Heat cream, sugar, and salt in saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to simmer. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla and butter until glossy. Cover and refrigerate until icing is firm but still spreadable, about 1 hour.
• For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper. Spread one-eighth of batter (about 2/3 cup) evenly in each pan and bake until edges are golden brown and cake springs back when touched, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes. Run a knife around pan perimeter to loosen cake, then invert onto rack to finish cooling. Cool pans to room temperature, then wipe clean and repeat process 3 more times for a total of 8 layers.
• To assemble: Place 1 cooled cake layer on serving platter. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over cake. (If frosting is too firm, let warm at room temperature 5 minutes, then stir to soften.) Top with second cake layer and additional 1/4 cup frosting. Repeat, alternating layers of cake and frosting and finishing with cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Serve.

STRAWBERRY DREAM CAKE II

Steps:

• For crust/bottom - Press in crust, 9x13 pan: graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, chopped pecans (if using).
• For cake - Mix together cake mix, 1 cup boiling water, box strawberry jello, 1/2 cup oil, 4 eggs. Pour into pan over graham crust.
• Filling - Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg. Drop into cake mixture and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Pour one carton thawed frozen sweetened strawberries over baked cake while hot.
• Frosting - Beat 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar together and fold in 8 oz cool whip. Frost after cake has cooled. Refrigerate.

STRAWBERRY DREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Set frozen strawberries out to thaw.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake (ie beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with mixer for about 2 minutes), or according to package directions.
• Bake in 13x9-inch glass pan at 350 for about 33 minutes.
• As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, pierce the top of the cake (all over) with a fork, until the top becomes very crumbly.
• Spread the strawberries, including juice, over the top of the cake.
• Refrigerate about 3 hours.
• Prepare the vanilla pudding with the milk, or according to package directions.
• Spread on top of cooled cake.
• Refrigerate again, overnight.
• Serve with whipped topping.
• Enjoy!