Strawberry Upside-down Cake with Cardamom

makes: one 8-inch cake

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For the Topping:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup sliced strawberries

For the Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

2/3 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

I used an 8-inch round with 3-inch tall sides.  You can also use a 9-inch round with 2-inch sides.

Place butter in the cake pan and place in the oven.  When butter is melted, remove pan from the oven.  Using two pot holders, tilt the pan around and around, coating the sides of the pan with butter.  Once sides are coated, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed.  Cream until slightly pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Stop mixer, scrape down the bowl with a spatula, and add egg and vanilla extract.  Beat for 1 minute.

Turn the mixer off, scrape the bowl, and add the dry ingredients.  Beat on low speed while adding the sour cream.  Beat until the batter just comes together.  Batter will be pretty thick.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish incorporating ingredients with a spatula.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar into the melted butter in the cake pan.  Sprinkle strawberry slices over the butter and sugar in a single layer.  Spoon batter over the strawberries and spread evenly with a spatula.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cake rest for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the cake and inverting the cake onto a cake plate.  Serve warm with sweetened sour or whipped cream.

Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread

makes 1 9×5-inch loaf

inspired by The Amateur Gourmet

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6 ounces unsalted butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain yogurt (any fat content) or buttermilk

1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)

1/2 cup diced strawberries plus 1 strawberry very thinly sliced, for topping

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts.  When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown.  Swirl the pan as the butter cooks.  When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl.  Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and yogurt or buttermilk.  Whisk in the mashed bananas.  When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients.  Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour.  Fold in the diced strawberries.  Fold together ingredients, but try not to over stir.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with thinly sliced strawberries.   Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Bread will last 4 days, well wrapped at room temperature.  This loaf also freezes well.

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes

makes 8 (or 9) cupcakes

recipe from Gluten Free Cupcakes

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1/2 cup coconut flour

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries (plus more for topping the frosting)

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Line a cupcake pan with 8 or 9 foil or paper liners.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together coconut flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda.  If the coconut flour has a few stubborn lumps in it, make sure to whisk them out.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, agave, and vanilla extract.  Add the wet ingredients, all at once, to the dry ingredients and whisk together.  You can do this by hand or with a handheld mixture.  Whisk until all ingredients are well combined.  You’ll feel the mixture begin to thicken as you stir.

Fold in the strawberries.

Scoop batter into lined cupcake pan.  Fill papers to two-thirds full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.  Remove from oven.  Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.  Once completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cupcakes will keep, in an airtight container in the fridge for up 2 or 3 days.

Cream Cheese Frosting

makes:  enough to smear 8 or 9 cupcakes.  If you’d like to pipe this frosting, I suggest doubling the recipe.

1/3 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons agave nectar

dash of pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whip heavy cream into stiff peaks using a whisk or a handheld mixer.  In a separate large bowl, whip the cream cheese, agave, and vanilla together until smooth and pliable.  Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.  Fold until evenly combined.

Spread onto cooled cupcakes or place in a piping bag to pipe over cupcakes.  Sprinkle with small diced strawberries.

Frosting will keep, in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.

Flourless Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

makes about 32 small cookies

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1 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

about 1/4 cup any fruit preserves you fancy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside.  In a mixer combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes.  Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes.  The dough will be crumbly.  Roll into teaspoon sized balls and make a small indentation in the center of the dough ball with your pointer finger.   Fill the depression with fruit preserves.  Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool on a baking sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Strawberry Blackberry Shortcake

makes 6 servings

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For the berry mixture:

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

1 large handful fresh blackberries, cut in half

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

 

For the whipped cream:

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

3 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the biscuit mixture:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, plus more for brushing the tops before baking

about 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar to sprinkle before baking

Slice the strawberries and blackberries and place in a medium sized bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Stir.  Cover and place in the fridge to macerate for at least 2 hours.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using simple a bowl and whisk, whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract together until soft peaks form.  Cover place in the fridge for later.

Now let’s make the biscuits!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place a rack in the center of the oven.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In a small bowl whisk together the egg, vanilla extract and heavy cream.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces and, using your fingers, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture.  Work quickly, the butter and flour mixture will look like coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the center of the butter and flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients.  Mix just until the dough comes together.  Dump out onto a clean, floured surface and bring it together with your hands.  Knead once or twice then pat the dough out into a rectangle roughly 7-inches long, 4 -inches tall and 1-inch thick.  Cut the dough into six equal pieces.

Place the shortcakes onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush the tops of each shortcake with a bit of cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until nicely browned.

Remove from the oven.  Cool completely.

To assemble, cut the shortcakes in half, top with a few spoonfuls of berries and juice, whipped cream and the biscuit top.  Dang good.

Strawberry Banana Cream Pie
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

recipe makes 1 9-inch pie

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for the filling:
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ripe bananas, sliced
10 fresh strawberries, sliced

for the topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the tart crust, if not using mini Dufour shells:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoons (9 tablespoons) unsalted cutter, cold or frozen, cut into cubes
1 large egg yolk

to make the tart crust:
Put the flour, powdered sugar and salt in a food processor fit the the blade attachment. Pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the pieces of cold butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in. There will be pieces of butter that are the size of oatmeal flakes and butter the size of peas. Beat the egg yolk with a fork and add a little of the egg yolk at a time to the flour mixture. Pulse for 10 seconds at a time. When the egg is in, process in longer pulses until the dough forms clumps and curds. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have escaped mixing.

Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and the sides of the pan. Press the crust so that the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of foil and fit the foil, butter side down, tightly against the frozen crust. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust is puffed, gently press it down with your fingers.
Bake the uncovered crust for 8 to 10 more minutes on the baking sheet. Keep an eye on the crust. It will brown quickly.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

to make the filling:
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan.

In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt until well blended and thick. Whisking without stopping, drizzle about 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, warming the eggs so they don’t cook and curdle. Still whisking, slowly add the rest of the hot milk in a steady steam.

Place the pan over medium heat and, whisking constantly (make sure to get the edges of the pan), bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, still whisking for one minute before removing from the pan from the heat. Mixture will be thick and silky. Be warned, once the mixture starts to boil, it will thicken very quickly. Don’t be afraid to remove the pan from the flame to whisk it smooth.

Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let stand for 5 minutes then whisk in the butter, stirring until fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky. Transfer custard to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic touches the surface of the custard and refrigerate until cold throughout. Custard can be refrigerated up to three days.

When ready to assemble the pie, slice bananas and strawberries into thin, round slices.
Whisk the cold custard to loosen. Add a handful of banana slices. Stir.
Arrange a thin layer of banana slices on the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange a thin layer of strawberries atop the bananas. Reserve some strawberries for topping the pie. Top with banana custard. Smooth out a refrigerate while you make the whipped cream.

for the topping:
With a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat heave cream until it just starts to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, spoon whipped cream onto banana cream pie filling. Top with sliced strawberries.

Serve pie immediately or refrigerate for several hours before serving. This pie is best served the day it is made, but also isn’t too shabby the next day for a breakfast treat.

Strawberry Coffee Cake

inspired by Panache at Rose Hill

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1 heaping cup sliced strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons water

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a few drops of almond extract (optional)

Topping:

3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the topping:

Combine all the topping ingredients in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until crumbly.  Set aside.

To make the strawberry mixture:

Combine strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar, water and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened and strawberries are soft and somewhat broken down.  Set aside to cool.

Grease and flour a 10×10-inch baking dish, knocking out excess flour, and set aside.

To make the coffee cake:

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla extract, and almond extract if you’re using it.

Sift dry ingredients together.  Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter in 3 parts alternating with the sour cream in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat just until combined.

Spoon 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan.  Spread the cooled strawberry mixture over the batter.  Spoon the remaining batter onto the strawberries and spread evenly.  Top with streusel topping and bake in the upper third of the oven.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Memaw’s Meringue Shells

Panache at Rose Hill

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4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon vinegar

Beat whites until stiff; add other ingredients and beat until shiny and very stiff.  Draw circles on paper sacks and spread with a spoon or pipe with pastry tube within the confines of circles (I did my meringues free hand).  Bake in 225 degree oven until lightly browned, about 45 minutes.  Turn oven off, leaving the shells in the oven to completely cool.  May be cooked before hand and stored in an airtight container until ready to use.  Serve with fresh sliced strawberries and kiwis, or any fruit or berries you see fit.

Strawberry Ricotta Cupcakes

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adapted from Cooking with Amy

1/2 cup sugar1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, room temperature1 egg8 ounces ricotta cheese mixed with 1/4 cup whole milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon soda1/2 cup diced strawberries, freshCenter a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcakes papers and set aside.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Dice strawberries and set aside.In the bowl of a stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg and beat for another 1 minute.  Beat in the vanilla.Add the ricotta mixture alternately with the flour mixture.  Starting and ending with the flour mixture.  Fold in the strawberries .Divide among the 12 muffin tins and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until risen and very lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Seven Minute Frosting- Pink and Greenfrom Gourmet Cookbook2 large egg whites1 cup sugar1/4 cup waterCombine all ingredients in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, and beat with a handheld electric mixer on low  speed until mixture is warm and sugar is dissolved.  Increase speed to high and beat until frosting is thick and fluffy, about 7 minutes.  Remove from bowl and beat until slightly cooled.  Add a dash of vanilla extract and food coloring if desired.   I used pale pink and green for Easter.