So I made a rather ambitious goal for myself (but really, when are goals never ambitious?). I told my RA staff that I would bake them their favorite cake for their birthday. With this task on top of my other friend's birthdays - I have been making quite a few cakes within the past month.
The first was Rachel's. She wanted funfettii, which of course I understand, but there was no way I could improve my baking skills from a box. Thus I opted for her second choice, strawberry cake. Now, I have this amazing cookbook that was assembled by my Nana that contains nearly every recipe she owns. Needless to say, it is one of the most beautiful books I own. It also is very usefully, because it has a strawberry cake recipe in it. I would trust the recipes in this book with my life - so I decided to give it a go.
The recipe is originally from my Great Aunt Wolaka, whom I never met. It also is one of the few recipes I found that does not call for strawberry gelatin and vanilla cake mix - it is made from simple ingredients and frozen strawberries. (I would defrost the strawberries before baking to decrease the bake time.)And the frosting? A sugar-evaporated milk-pecan topping with the consistency of evaporated milk. Every cake in this book seems to have pecans incorporated in it somewhere. Its the country-southern influence.
Sadly I did not get a final picture of the cake. Rachel loved it though and so did most people. The frosting was VERY interesting and the flavor somewhat contrasted with the cake. I ended up adding waay more sugar to it and cooking the pecans with it to make it more nutty flavored and syrupy in texture. The outcome was interesting. Also, the cake did not have enough strawberry flavor for me. If I were to do this again I would have perhaps made also a whipped cream-strawberry frosting or perhaps whipped cream frosting with a strawberry-vanilla compote to enhance the flavor and make a more complementary frosting. However, some people really did like the cake just the way it was...
Recipe:
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 16 oz package frozen strawberries, mashed.
Combine all dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil and strawberries (juice and all). Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
Topping:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 small can evaporated milk (but really...what do you mean Great Aunt Waloka by small?)
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional- but good)
In small saucepan, boil butter sugar and milk for 4 minutes. Add nuts. Spread on cake while hot.
The first was Rachel's. She wanted funfettii, which of course I understand, but there was no way I could improve my baking skills from a box. Thus I opted for her second choice, strawberry cake. Now, I have this amazing cookbook that was assembled by my Nana that contains nearly every recipe she owns. Needless to say, it is one of the most beautiful books I own. It also is very usefully, because it has a strawberry cake recipe in it. I would trust the recipes in this book with my life - so I decided to give it a go.
The recipe is originally from my Great Aunt Wolaka, whom I never met. It also is one of the few recipes I found that does not call for strawberry gelatin and vanilla cake mix - it is made from simple ingredients and frozen strawberries. (I would defrost the strawberries before baking to decrease the bake time.)And the frosting? A sugar-evaporated milk-pecan topping with the consistency of evaporated milk. Every cake in this book seems to have pecans incorporated in it somewhere. Its the country-southern influence.
Sadly I did not get a final picture of the cake. Rachel loved it though and so did most people. The frosting was VERY interesting and the flavor somewhat contrasted with the cake. I ended up adding waay more sugar to it and cooking the pecans with it to make it more nutty flavored and syrupy in texture. The outcome was interesting. Also, the cake did not have enough strawberry flavor for me. If I were to do this again I would have perhaps made also a whipped cream-strawberry frosting or perhaps whipped cream frosting with a strawberry-vanilla compote to enhance the flavor and make a more complementary frosting. However, some people really did like the cake just the way it was...
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| This is the mushed up strawberries on top of the dry ingredients. |
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| The beeeautiful pink batter! |
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| Before putting into the oven. I got a little artsy with the pictures. |
Recipe:
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 16 oz package frozen strawberries, mashed.
Combine all dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil and strawberries (juice and all). Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
Topping:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 small can evaporated milk (but really...what do you mean Great Aunt Waloka by small?)
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional- but good)
In small saucepan, boil butter sugar and milk for 4 minutes. Add nuts. Spread on cake while hot.
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