Strawberry Cake

I asked this sweet almost three year old what she wanted for her birthday cake and she answered with jazz hands and the word, STRAWBERRIES. I couldn't do the jazz hands but I pulled off a strawberry cake filled with fresh strawberries and a strawberry buttercream. That screams STRAWBERRIES, right?

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Strawberry Cake
adapted from Bake from Scratch

2¼ cups (450 grams) granulated sugar
¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
6 egg whites (180 grams)
1½ tsp (6 grams) vanilla extract
1½ cups (28 grams) freeze-dried strawberries
3 cups (375 grams) all purpose flour
1 cup (100 grams) cake flour
1 tbsp (15 grams) baking powder
1½ tsp (4.5 grams) kosher salt
1½ cups (360 grams) whole milk, room temperature

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 8" (or three 6") round cake pans with baking spray and parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a food processor (or blender), pulse freeze-dried strawberries until powdered, 5 to 6 times.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and strawberry powder. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. 

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Graham Cracker, Coconut, and Lime Cake

The big baby boy turned one and so I made him a delicious cake. But I'll be honest with you, it could have been a disgusting cake and he still would have eaten it. 

There's a reason he's still a big baby.

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Graham Cracker, Coconut and Lime Cake

Graham Cracker Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla

Coconut Cream Filling
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Lime Swiss Meringue Buttercream
5 (150 grams) egg whites
2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
3 sticks (330 grams) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lime zest
~1/4 cup lime juice (mixed with 1/2 cup powdered sugar)

Make the graham cracker cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 6" round cake pans and line with parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.

Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Make sure the batter is fully mixed but make sure it is not over-mixed. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Make the coconut filling: Place cream, sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved

In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water. Add to cream mixture, bring to a boil, and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. 

Place coconut in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coconut is finely chopped. Remove cream mixture from heat and stir in coconut until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. 

Make the lime frosting:  Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir to combine.

Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium heat.  Put the mixer bowl on the top of the saucepan to create a double-boiler. While whisking, heat until the egg mixture reaches 180 degrees.

Once 180 degrees, carefully return the bowl back to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on high for about 10 minutes, or until the outside of the bowl returns to room temperature and the meringue holds medium peaks.

Stop the mixer and swap out the whisk for paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium-low, add in the butter a few tablespoons at a time.  Mix until silky smooth.

Add in the vanilla and zest and mix until smooth. Add in lime juice/powdered sugar mixture gradually until desired taste is reached.

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Brownies

Do brownies really need an introduction? You know what they are. They are lumpy, crinkly, somewhat messy shapes of chocolate, butter, and sugar. We have all eaten them, devoured them, inhaled them. We have all licked the bowl clean of the batter and wished that the baker hadn't scraped that last little bit into the bowl because I wanted to eat it (said my husband every time I bake).

Just don't add walnuts. Ick. 

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Brownies
from Handle the Heat

1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 oz (113 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup (94 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Make the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butter, and unsweetened chocolate. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute intervals, stirring in between. Continue heating in 30-second bursts until the mixture is melted and smooth but not scorched. Remove from the microwave and let cool slightly. This can also be done in a double boiler.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high until light, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Gently stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the flour and salt until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until a tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached, 35 to 40. 

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