Strawberry Layer Cake

This cake, wow. People, this week was a little nutso. It sort of feels like I say that every week, doesn't it? But I mean it every time. 

This cake started as an opportunity to make the strawberry cake I've always wanted to make from the lovely Joy the Baker for forever, because strawberry cake is my favorite kind of cake.

This week was made all the more stressful because six years ago this week my wonderful and beautiful mother left this earth. It felt strangely appropriate to be baking on that day, and baking a cake that she faithfully procured for me each birthday, knowing that strawberry cake is my favorite.

So I invite you to make this strawberry cake and think about your mother, wherever she is.

Your ingredients: White Cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, self-rising flour, cream cheese, butter, sugar, strawberries, powdered sugar, and strawberry jello mix

In a bowl, whisk together the cake mix, jello powder, sugar, and flour. Don't eat it. It SMELLS SO GOOD, but don't eat it. 

Add the oil, eggs, water, and strawberries, and mix.

Pour into two greased 10-inch cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes

Now make your icing- sorry, no pictures. Now ice it up however you see fit and decorate with strawberries!

Strawberry Layer Cake

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Cake:

16.25 oz. white cake mix (with pudding)

3 oz. package strawberry jello mix

1 tbsp. self-rising flour

4 tsp. sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup strawberries, finely diced

Icing:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar

pinch of salt

strawberries for decoration

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 10-inch cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix, jello mix, sugar, and flour.

Add in oil, stir. Add in eggs one at a time, mix well between each egg. Add the water and strawberries in and mix well. Divide batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Icing:

Beat the cream cheese and butter until soft and fluffy. Add 1 lb. of powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, beat well. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar.

Frost and decorate your cake!

Chocolate Pudding Pie

This pie. Is fantastic. And it is so, so easy.

That's all I'm gonna say about it. Just. Make it. Please. For the sake of your health.

Your ingredients: Chocolate chips, cream, oreos, whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla

First, crush up your Oreos, butter, and sugar together and bake a beautiful, delicious piecrust out of it.

In a bowl, whisk together your egg yolks and sugar, then add the cornstarch, vanilla, and salt.

Now melt your milk and chocolate on the stove, try not to drink it all because it smells deliciously like hot chocolate. Then add it to the egg yolks, then back into the pan, then cook it until it thicks up. Then pour it onto the pie crust.

Mm, mm, mmmmmm. Top it with whipped cream and gobble it up!

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Slightly changed from Ezra Poundcake

Crust:

1 1/4 cup very finely ground Oreo crumbs

5 tbsp. butter, melted

3 tbsp. sugar

Pie Filling:

2 1/2 cups whole milk

5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Whipped Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla


For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350°.


Mix together the crushed Oreos, melted butter, and sugar, then press them into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.


For the pie:
In a heavy saucepan, turn on medium-high heat and combine the milk and chocolate chips. Use a whisk occasionally until the chocolate is melted.


In a large, heat-safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Add in the cornstarch, salt, and vanilla. Pour the melted chocolate mix into the bowl and whisk the mixture together until combined.


Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and return to medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble slowly. Remove it from heat and whisk it until it's smooth, about a minute. Pour the mixture onto the pie crust.


Cover the pie with plastic wrap, make sure you lay the plastic wrap directly on top of the pie. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.


For the whip:
With a whisk or an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the sugar, cream, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.


Spoon onto the pie.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Double post today folks! Sorry for the e-laziness. Getting back from Christmas break has been really tough.

The first recipe I have for you is a delicious red velvet cupcake recipe, which I made at the birthday request of my new co-teacher (and pretty awesome friend).

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not usually that into red velvet, but these were really good and pretty easy. And they're so pretty! I threw on some silver sprinkles I had leftover from Christmas baking.

Your ingredients: Cake flour, cocoa powder, sugar, red food coloring, eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, oil, cinnamon, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and vinegar

So first, sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.

Next, beat together the sugar and oil, then the eggs, then the food coloring and vanilla.

Now add in your flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating between each one, starting and ending with the flour. (Sorry about the photo quality, getting photos in the mixer is always iffy with lighting) Doesn't it look red and delicious?

Now mix together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. It will fizz and make you feel like you're doing a really cool science experiment. Then add it to the batter and mix it in.

Then just bake those suckers!

Mmm, then frost them, preferably to the soundtrack of Wicked.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Slightly adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp. red gel-paste food coloring (or 1 tbsp. regular food coloring)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. distilled white vinegar

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt. In a mixer, beat together the sugar and oil on medium-high until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mix well between each egg. Add in food coloring and vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing well between each addition. Alternate with adding the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small bowl, mix together the baking soda and vinegar, which will fizz. Add it to the batter, mixing on medium-high for about 10 seconds.

Evenly distribute the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in an electric mixer until smooth. Add the cinnamon and vanilla until combined.

Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!