Memaw's Strawberry Cake Recipe

Memaw’s Strawberry Cake Recipe

Cook Time:  35-40 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty:  Easy

Hi friends. Today's mood is a bit more somber than in previous posts, so instead of the silly puns, leftover magic tricks, and cooking tips, I give you a piece of my heart, and it is hurting BADLY. You see, Monday was D-day (dread day) for our family. We dropped off our baby boy, hours away, to begin his new life as a college Freshman. It was the day my heart shattered into a million pieces. For anyone who is going through this (or has gone through or is just feeling blue), I feel your pain:( I have been dreading this past Monday's events all summer (in fact, for 18 years), but inevitably, the day came (to what seemed to be a blink in time), and all I can hope is hubby, and I prepared him enough. We are so proud of the young man he has become. It was bittersweet letting him go, but seeing him so happy and confident helped make the transition for Mom a tad better, that and CARBS…lots of them, particularly cake!

Baking cheers me when I'm down, so sharing this delicious strawberry cake featuring juicy strawberries and Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread makes sense. Imagine sinking your teeth into sweet strawberry comfort in every bite. Does it make you smile? It makes me smile:)

Are you feeling the pangs of college drop-off, the end of summer, the first day of school, or a child graduating from high school, or do you want to bring a smile to someone's face? If so, then make Memaw's Strawberry cake today. This easy cake recipe is so delicious and comforting that it will chase away any blues.

Thank you for letting me share my story. Below I have posted a glimpse of the college drop-off day. Let us know if you have tried this flavorful recipe. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products. Thank you for stopping by.

**Now, it's time to spoil our baby girl for the next two years until the next and final Freshman college drop-off. (I may be making cake every day that summer).

*Note- This tasty recipe is best made the day ahead.

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (We used Betty Crocker's Super Moist Cake Mix)

• 4 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) flour

• 4 eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup strawberries and juice, mashed

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies Strawberry Butter Spread

• 1 cup oil

• 1 small box strawberry jello

• Extra strawberries for garnish

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 box powdered sugar

• 1 stick butter, room temperature

• 2 Tablespoons (mashed strawberries with liquid)

* To make this cake gluten-free, simply substitute the flour and cake mix with gluten-free flour and cake mix (we tested with King Arthur Gluten-free Yellow Cake Mix and flour)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Wash, remove the ends, and roughly chop the strawberries. Place them in a medium bowl, add Cherchies® Strawberry Butter Spread, mash them with a potato masher, and set aside. Reserve 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of mashed strawberries for the icing.

In a large bowl, sift the cake mix, flour, and jello together. Set aside. (I use a fine mesh strainer over a bowl to sift the ingredients together).

In another large bowl or standing mixer, add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add oil and beat well. Mix in strawberries and juice (this replaces the liquid called for on the cake mix box).

Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients to the bowl with the eggs. Pour the cake batter into a 9 x 13 pan and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. Combine the butter, strawberries, and powdered sugar. Beat the ingredients together with a hand or standing mixer until combined. Icing should be somewhat thick. If icing is too thin, powdered sugar may need to be added until desired consistency.

Once the cake is finished cooking, allow it to cool completely. Frost the cake generously with the icing and refrigerate.

Enjoy!

Move in day:(

Cooking Tip: How To Make Homemade Stromboli

Cooking Tip: How To Make Homemade Stromboli

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: About 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Are you ready to get rolling and reinvent pizza night?  Gather your gang, grab some pizza dough, and some toppings, because it is time to make homemade strombolis!  

Strombolis, are rolled up deconstructed pizzas, stuffed with an infinite number of fillings (savory meats, gooey cheeses, vegetables, leftovers, sauces, etc.). Many fear that making strombolis is too tedious a task to master, but think again! It is simple and a lot of fun, especially if you want to include family or friends! Strombolis are the perfect make-ahead meal for pretty much any event and impressive enough to satisfy most guests.

Follow along as we share the steps to making delicious strombolis at home! You “knead” to try this! :) Comment below on your favorite filling and we would love for you to share your recipe. Thanks for stopping by. We hope you visit again.

Dough- It all starts with the dough. We have tested this process with refrigerated pizza dough, frozen bread dough, as well as fresh pizza dough (found at most grocery stores). Some pizza shops sell their pizza dough to the public. If you have a favorite homemade pizza dough recipe, by all means, use it!

So now what? It’s time to get rolling! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once you have your dough, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 15 inches give or take.

Fillings- This step is optional, but for us, it is the “pièce de résistance” that makes the flavors of the stromboli come alive, no matter the filling. The secret? Spread the dough with a thin layer of our famous Cherchies Champagne Mustard before adding the toppings! It makes a huge difference.

You will want to place all the toppings and fillings inside the rectangle, leaving about 1 inch around the perimeter free for rolling.

Next, fill the dough with your favorite combinations. Our favorite is our Ham, Turkey, and Cheese Stromboli Recipe, which consists of you guessed it, ham, turkey, two kinds of cheese, and of course our mustards!

Tasty Filling Ideas - Here are a few other ideas to inspire you:

• Caprese- Featuring our Perfect Pesto, fresh juicy tomatoes, a drizzle of white balsamic vinegar, and creamy fresh mozzarella. Add leftover chicken for a heartier meal and use your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.

• Tex-Mex- Featuring Cherchies Black Bean & Corn Salsa, leftover chicken, cheese, Cherchies Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning. For measurements of these ingredients, checkout the filling for our Tex-Mex French Bread Pizzas, sans the French Bread.

• Pulled Pork- Try our Peachy or Melt-in-Your-Mouth pulled pork recipies inside a stromboli with shredded mozzarella cheese.

• Chicken Parmesan Meatballs- Stuff your stromboli with Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Meatballs.

Sealing up- Now that you have your favorite filling in place, it is time to “seal the deal.” Sorry:) Starting with the long end of the rectangle, roll up your stromboli (jelly-roll style) and carefully make sure to tuck in ingredients that may have fallen out. Place on a parchment paper-lined tray, seam-side down and pinch the open ends closed.

This next step is optional, but I have found it helps to keep all the ingredients from exploding out onto the pan. With a sharp knife, cut a couple of slits into the dough. If making ahead, cover the stromboli with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator or freezer.

When ready to cook, in a small bowl, beat one egg until combined. Brush the top, sides, and ends of the stromboli with the egg wash and sprinkle with Cherchies Garlic Seasoning. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the stromboli is golden brown on the outside.

Cook your stromboli until golden brown. Slice it up for easy, hearty appetizers and serve with your favorite marinara or dipping sauce or serve with one of our salads and some fruit for a complete meal. Look at that! A golden crispy crust on the outside, fluffy bread on the inside, surrounded by gooey, melty cheese, salty ham and turkey, and as mentioned our sweet-hot, tangy Champagne Mustard. Who wants some?

Enjoy!

Ham, Turkey and Cheese Stromboli Recipe