Strawberry Layer Cake with Strawberry Cream Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting

Do you remember from an earlier post this month about all those strawberries I picked and purchased from the local berry farm?  The berries that weren't used in the strawberry ice cream were frozen for later use (we have three freezers because we put up/can/freeze most of our food).  Now that the ice cream has been devoured, hubby wanted a home-made, from scratch, and not from a box strawberry cake.  The semi-homemade queens use a white cake mix (gasp!) and add ingredients, but this recipe is a tried-and-true from-scratch cake.

I was raised in an Italian home without many cakes for desserts; it was usually fresh fruit and cheese as it is the Italian custom.  The adults commonly enjoyed liquours after a meal as well, or a strong cup of coffee/espresso.  And that was usually dessert, except on holidays when we'd have lots of fruit pies.

After living in the Southern region of the U.S., I have come to realize what a passion Southerners have for homemade cakes!  And strawberry cake is right up there on the top of the list along with Red Velvet Cake, Italian Cream Cake, and Hummingbird Cake (Italian Cream Cake is a Southern creation).  I can understand why Strawberry Cake is such a cherished favorite ~ ~ it's just so delicious!  It is so moist and sweet and lathered with cream cheese; just irresistable!  You can even sprinkle some shredded pink or white coconut on top, but my hubby thinks that's a bit too much.  But Southerners love coconut, so it's totally up to you.

When you slice into this luscious darlin', it's all pink inside with ribbons of icing and strawberries peaking out.  Just pure blissful cake heaven!   This grand cake also should be showcased on a lovely cake platter to give it that much more attention and it's rightful place on center stage!  When your family and guests take one look at this beauty, they'll feel so special and grateful!  And isn't that what we want our loved ones to feel like!

You can keep this cake downplayed in simplicity by baking a sheet cake, but I think it is much more special when made into a layer cake with a strawberry cream filling, topped with a buttery cream cheese frosting, and garnished with strawberries on top.  I think that you will agree!

Strawberry Layer Cake with Strawberry Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting

What you need to make the cake:

2 cups white sugar
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin (jello) 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 4 eggs (room temperature)
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup whole milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup strawberry puree made from fresh or frozen strawberries  (I make an additional 2 cups of puree to drizzle over the cake slices or to lay the slices on top of a pool of puree as shown in the photo below).

What you need to do to make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or three 8 inch round cake pans.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.  Combine the flour and baking powder.
Stir into the batter alternately with the milk.
Blend in strawberry puree and vanilla.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Gently tap the cakes out of their pans to finish cooling completely.

For the Strawberry Filling:

1 to 2 cups of the cream cheese frosting (below)
1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced Spread the middle cake layers with thick layers of frosting and cover with sliced strawberries.

.

.

For the cream cheese frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
2 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
8 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1 teaspoon butter extract
(You may also make a strawberry cream cheese frosting by adding 10 ounces of pureed strawberries and a half teaspoon of strawberry extract at this point ~ ~ I prefer a contrast of flavors for this cake, but it is totally up to you).

Beat the butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and butter extract until creamy.
Spread over the tops of each cake inside layers
Evenly distribute the strawberry slices over the frosted layers.
Spread remaining frosting on top of cake and all around the sides.
There may be about one cup left over (for cupcakes maybe?).

Garnish to decorate:

Large, beautiful strawberries presented any way that you like.

.

.

Oh my, oh my . . . now I know why Strawberry Cake is so popular in this region!

Pin It

Garden Topiaries! Out and About At The Annual SC Festival of Flowers

.
This week we mingled with tourists and local residents to celebrate gardening during the 3-week long Annual South Carolina Festival of Flowers.  The focus of the festival is on everything flowers and gardening, but we also have a 2-day equestrian event, golf, 5K runs, triathalons, garden photography displays, luncheons with master gardener speakers, a car show, jazz and blues bands, food tents, private home garden tours, and much more.

But what I always anxiously look forward to see every year are the creative topiaries that are put together by just about any group of people - - from elementary and middle school students to businesses and garden club members.

Local businesses provide the funding for the topiaries which last just about one month.  So I thought that I'd share some of this year's nature-sculptured creations which were based on a "Safari" theme.  All of these topiaries (and more, 22 total) are placed along the sidewalks of our quaint little downtown area.

Which topiary do you like best?  I love the giraffes, the horse (of course!) and the Jeep!

Horse Topiary

Lions Topiary

Giraffe Topiaries

Swan Topiary with Horse Topiary in Background

Aligator and Turtle Topiaries Along the Stone Stream Downtown

Butterfly Topiary

Ducks Topiary along stone waterfall Downtown

Elephant Topiaries

Puppy Dog Topiary (cutely placed next to a fire hydrant!)

And last, the local Jeep dealership's annual Jeep Topiary!

So now which of you can create topiaries?  I know that I can't at all!  I just enjoy looking at them!  Thanks for taking a little downtown stroll with me.  Have a beautiful, flower-filled day wherever you are!

Happy Gardening!

Pin It

Awards for Some Great Blogs!

Thanks and "grazie" to Wendy from Faith's Firm Foundation blog for the following two awards that she kindly sent me.  I'd also like to thank Catherine at Living The Gourmet for giving me the Happiness 101 award back in April, and so I'm sending these back to her as well!  It sure is fun being a 'sugar doll' and a 'beautiful' blogger!  It's nice to know that other bloggers enjoy your blog, isn't it?  And now, I have the same opportunity to share some rules and to pass them along to others as well.  I'm following A LOT more blogs these days and cannot include you all . . . but still love you and read your posts . . . so I'll catch ya the next round of awards, OK?  Mwah!

Pin It

Fried Green Tomatoes with Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella

.

Here in the Southern region of the U.S. is a very well-known, beloved classic recipe:  Fried Green Tomatoes! This dish is so famously known that even Hollywood produced a movie called "Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe".  But did you know that similar recipes are prepared in other parts of the world wherever tomatoes grow?  Absolutely!  In fact there is even an Italian version that makes some substantial changes:  using Italian herb-seasoned bread crumbs instead of flour and/or cornmeal, the addition of freshly grated parmesan cheese and minced garlic instead of Cayenne pepper, and the use of light olive oil for frying instead of vegetable/canola oil.

For the entree version that I'm making for this post, I ladle a yummy home-made marinara sauce over the fried green tomatoes, sprinkle them with yummy Italian cheese, and bake.  Think Eggplant Parmiggiano, but using fried green tomatoes instead of eggplant!

The recipes for Southern fried green tomatoes are numerous to say the least.  Some cooks use the double-dipping method of egg and/or milk mixture first and then dry breading next.  Others use the one dip procedure using a moist batter method of egg and/or milk mixture blended together with the dry ingredients of flour or cornmeal (similar to the batter fused for fried fish and/or onion rings).  I happen to like both methods, but for this recipe, I use the double-dip process.

.
Look at this huge tomato  . . . it's a "Big Boy" variety that truly is as a big as a beefsteak right now!

You can use whatever tomato variety that you like or that is available, as long as they are not ripe.  Little 'Sweet 100' cherry tomatoes are devoured as finger food/appetizers that can be dipped into a great marinara sauce.  For side dishes, it is best to use mid-sized tomatoes that are about 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches thick.  And for entrees, you can use huge beefsteak tomatoes.  Just know that whatever type of tomato you use, it has to truly be 'green' and unripe!  At this stage in their growth, tomatoes are more firm which lends them to holding up better in the battering and frying process.  Any point later in their ripeness will produce a mushy, soft, and often broken-up fried tomato . . . and you don't want that to happen!

Here are my little green, unripe 'Sweet 100' cherry tomatoes.  They are just beginning to turn to ripe, red tomatoes which we like to pick straight off the vine and PLOP into our mouths for the warmest and sweetest summer treat.  We even catch our dogs picking and eating them!  Now that's good!


Fried Green Tomatoes with Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella
.
3 to 4 medium-sized unripe green tomatoes (2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches wide)
2 Jumbo Eggs
1/2 cup whole Buttermilk
1 cup Italian herb-seasoned bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp freshly minced garlic
2 - 3 cups light Olive Oil (whatever it takes to have 2" of oil in the pan)
Freshly ground Sea Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Marinara Sauce (preferably homemade)
Freshly grated Mozzarella cheese (or blend your favorite Italian cheeses:  Pecorina-Romano, Fontina, Provolone, etc.)
.
From the garden select your green tomatoes.
Wash them with clean water and cut off the green stem tops.
Slice into 1/3" thick pieces (we like ours thicker than the traditional 1/4" thickness).
Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper.
In a shallow, wide bowl beat together eggs and buttermilk.
In another shallow, wide bowl mix the Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper.
In a large, heavy frying pan (I use cast iron) heat 2 inches of the olive oil on medium high.
Begin dipping the tomatoes into the egg mixture first and then into the breading mixture (using a fork keeps your hands clean! )
Place tomatoes as they are breaded onto another clean plate to take to the stove for frying in the pan.
Gently slide tomatoes into the hot oil.
Fry each side until golden brown.
Salt and pepper to taste and serve at this point or proceed to the next level as an entree!
Place in a baking dish and pour fresh, home-made Italian Marinara Sauce (recipe another day).
Sprinkle freshly grated Mozzarella cheese (or a blend of Italian cheeses of your choice) on top.
Sprinkle another tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on top.
In a 350 degree oven, bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Pick the unripe green tomatoes of your choice.  These are the perfect 2-1/2 to 3-1/2" size!

Slice the tomatoes into 1/3" slices (or 1/4" if you prefer).

Just look at these brilliantly colored green beauties!  Incredible color from Mother Nature in the garden!

I use the double-dipping method for this Italian version of fried green tomatoes:  Egg and buttermilk for the (wet) batter mixture and the seasoned breadcrumbs, garlic, and parmesan for the (dry) breading mixture.

Dip sliced tomatoes into the wet batter (using a fork keeps your hands clean).

Then dip the battered tomato slices into the breading dry mixture.  With the fork, pat the breading more firmly onto the tomatoes.

Place the tomatoes into the hot olive oil and cook for less than one minute or they will be too brown.  This little guy looks just perfect in color!

Place several layers of the fried green tomatoes in a baking pan as shown above.

Ladle or pour marinara sauce to your desired amount all over the top of the tomatoes.  Generously sprinkle finely shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce.  Sprinkle 1 - 2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese all over the mozzarella.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  This is the result of 30 minutes of baking time.  All golden and smelling so divine!

Here's a peek at those green tomatoes inside!

Oh my goodness, I wish I could share this with you through your computer screen. I'm ready to take a bite into this goodness and my husband is screaming for it too!

ENJOY!

Fried Green Tomatoes In Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese


Pin It

Cheesy Southern Pimento Cheese Burgers!

.

Pimento Cheese Burgers all garnished up and ready to devour just moments ago!

.

.

Before my family and I moved to the Southern region of the U.S. I had already fallen in love with Southern cooking through the hundreds of mouth-watering recipes that I read from my subscription to Southern Living magazine. In many of those recipes, I would come across an ingredient that was simply impossible to find in the Midwest: Pimento Cheese!

.

This brilliant orange colored stuff is created with extra-sharp cheddar cheese, chopped pimentos, mayonnaise, and other ingredients that folks differ on whether or not to include (I provide several options for you in the recipe below). After moving here, I found this incredibly tasting, yet very fattening whipped cheese everywhere! Southern cooks even have their own prized secret family recipes! Many a Southern mama would curse any family member for giving away their treasured recipe, no matter HOW politely you may ask!

..

And in South Carolina, in the middle of the state, in the capital city of Columbia, is a classic hamburger that is served using this golden cheese spread: Pimento Cheese Burgers! This unique hamburger has even been given the title of the city's "national food". As a pimento cheese addict, I had to try this Southern burger, no matter how bad it is for my cholesterol level (which is low by the way!). Trust me, you'll be begging for more too!
.

Above pimento cheese burger served without any garnish for hubby. Cut open and the cheesy concoction appears! It stayed inside perfectly!

.

Pin It