strawberry

Neapolitan Cookies

April 11, 2022 By Ashley Leave a Comment

These soft, chewy, buttery sugar Neapolitan cookies have been on my radar to make for a long time. Adapted from cookie queen Sarah Keiffer, these cookies are as delicious as they are impressive. Flavored with freeze dried strawberries, dark chocolate and vanilla, these Neapolitan cookies are made from one cookie dough. Three different flavors in one yummy bite without having to bake three separate cookies. I’d consider that a baking win.

How to make Neapolitan cookies

The base recipe for this cookie dough is a vanilla sugar cookie dough. Begin by beating the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. An egg, egg yolk and vanilla are beaten in followed by the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Once the dough is well combined, remove the dough from the mixer and place it on a scale. I typically weigh everything in grams anyway, but especially for this recipe as it’s easier to divide the grams into thirds. Divine the dough into 3 even portions. One third of the dough remains vanilla, another will be strawberry and the last third will be chocolate. Set aside the vanilla dough, as this dough is done and nothing more will be added to it.

Place the second 1/3 of the dough back into the bowl of the stand mixer. Pour in the pulverized dried strawberries and mix on low until thoroughly combined. Remove the dough from the bowl and set aside. Wipe down the bowl with a paper towel to remove any remaining strawberry dough.

Place the last 1/3 of the dough into the bowl. Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined on low speed.

Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough balls of each flavor of dough, one flavor at a time. Wipe out the cookie scoop with a paper towel between scooping each flavor.

Take one each of the vanilla, strawberry and chocolate dough balls and gently press them together. Roll them together into a ball. Roll the cookies in granulated sugar and bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies look set at the edges and the center looks almost set. Err on under baking than over baking. Let the cookies cool to firm up a bit as they are fragile right out of the oven. I like to serve and eat these barely warm or at room temperature.

If you make these Neapolitan cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Lavender Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

Persian Love Cookies

Funfetti Sandwich Cookies

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Neapolitan Cookies

Strawberry, chocolate and vanilla cookies

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cookies, neapolitan, neapolitan cookies

Servings: cookies

Equipment

Ingredients

2 ⅔ cups (320g) all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cups (333g) granulated sugar, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup freeze dried strawberries
1 drop pink or red gel food color
2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulverize the strawberries until powdery.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups of the granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Reduce the speed to low and add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Add in the flour mixture, mixing on low until just combined. Remove from the mixing bowl. No need to rinse out the mixing bowl.
Using a kitchen scale, weigh all of the dough. Divide the dough into three portions.
One portion is your vanilla dough. Nothing will be added to it. Set vanilla dough aside.
Place one portion of dough back into the mixing bowl. Add the freeze dried strawberries and a drop of red or pink food color. Beat on low speed until well combined.
Remove the strawberry dough from the bowl and set aside. Wipe out the bowl with a paper towel.
Place last portion of dough back into the mixing bowl. Add the cocoa powder, beating on low speed until well combined.
Use a 1 tbsp cookie scoop to portion the vanilla cookie dough into balls. Wipe down the inside of the cookie dough scoop with a paper towel.
Repeat with the strawberry cookie dough. Wipe down the inside of the cookie dough scoop with a paper towel.
Repeat with the chocolate cookie dough.
Take one each of the vanilla, strawberry and chocolate dough balls and gently press them together. Roll into a ball.
Repeat making tri-color dough balls with the remaining dough.
Place the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar into a shallow bowl.
Roll the dough balls into the sugar and place on the cookie sheets, 3 inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes until the edges are just set and the centers still soft.
Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are firm enough to handle.

Notes

Adapted from Sarah Kieffer’s 100 Cookies: The Baking Book For Every Kitchen with Classic Cookies, Novel Treats, Brownies, Bars, and More.

Malted Funfetti Cake with Strawberry Buttercream and Cookie Crumble

September 21, 2021 By Ashley 2 Comments

I’ve been really into baking with malted milk powder. It just has this deep and toasty flavor that lends so much depth and deliciousness to baked goods. Inspired by strawberry malt milkshakes, I created this malted funfetti cake with strawberry buttercream and cookie crumble. Strawberries and malted milk powder are so, so good together, this is my second recipe using them together within the past couple months. Fluffy and tender malted funfetti cake flecked with sprinkles, silky strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream and strawberry shortbread cookie crumble makes for a truly delicious cake that you will want to make on the regular.

Malted Funfetti Cake

The base recipe of my malted funfetti cake is my go to vanilla cake, with the additional malted milk powder and sprinkles. This cake is mixed using the reverse creaming, or two stage method. Reverse creaming cakes have a tighter, more delicate and soft crumb. They tend to be more compact, with less of a rise compared to creamed cakes, and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Reverse creaming cakes can be delicate, so they are easiest to layer, carve, stack, etc. when they are chilled.

Strawberry Buttercream

Strawberry Swiss Meringue buttercream is fluffy, silky and so yummy. It reminds me a lot of strawberry ice cream – which is always a good thing, right? In this recipe, I use strawberry jam for the strawberry flavoring in the buttercream. You can also try the method I use for making strawberry Italian meringue buttercream by making your own concentrated jam first as used in my strawberry rose buttermilk cake.

Strawberry Cookie Crumbs

I really like adding crunchy elements to my cakes. I like the texture they add and it helps to add additional complementary flavors to the cake. The cookie crumbs for this recipe is a shortbread style crumble that is baked until golden and crispy. Once cool, freeze dried strawberries are crushed into the crumble and tossed to fully incorporate. This crumble is super yummy and even tastes amazing on ice cream, yogurt, etc.

I baked my cakes in 2 – 2″ pans and torted them (or split them in half) to create 4 layers total. You want to make sure that the cake layers will be stable so I typically put down a thin layer of buttercream and then pipe a dam around the edge of the cake first before sprinkling on the cookie crumble. Then scoop additional buttercream on top of it, spreading it out to even it out with the dam. This ensures that the buttercream layers are even but also will make sure the layers are adhered properly and are stable, and not just sitting on the crumble.

I hope that you enjoy this malted funfetti cake with strawberry buttercream and cookie crumble as much as I do! If you make it, let me know and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more layer cake recipes, check out these posts:

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Buttercream and Blackberry Caramel

Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

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Malted Funfetti Cake with Strawberry Buttercream and Cookie Crumble

Funfetti malted milk vanilla cake filled with strawberry malted cookie crumble and strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Servings: 8″ cakes

Ingredients

Malted Funfetti Vanilla Cake

14 ounces (397g) cake flour
14 ounces(397g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup malted milk powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
9 oz (255g) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 ounces (85g) canola oil
12 ounces (31g) whole milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup sprinkles

Strawberry Buttercream

1 batch prepared Swiss meringue buttercream
1 – 1½ cups strawberry jam

Strawberry Cookie Crumble

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoons malted milk powder
1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Make Funfetti Malt Cake

Preheat your oven to 350F. Prepare your cake pans. Brush the bottoms and sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
Combine the milk, oil, eggs, vanilla extract and vanilla extract in medium bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, malt powder and salt. On low speed, mix for 1 minute.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces, one or two pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, pour in a small amount of the liquid ingredients (about 1/2 cup) and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and beat for *two full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the remaining wet ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
Once all the wet ingredients have been incorporated, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Fold in the sprinkles.
Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans.
Bake the layers for 35-45 minutes. Check the cake at 30-35 minutes to test for doneness. If a toothpick comes out clean, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched, take the cakes out.
Tap the cake once, firmly against the counter to remove excess steam. If your cakes dome at all, use a clean kitchen towel to gently push the domes down. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans.
Run a palette or butter knife around the cakes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours.

Strawberry Buttercream

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the salted caramel sauce and the prepared Swiss meringue buttercream.
Mix on low until everything is incorporated and the buttercream is smooth.

Strawberry Cookie Crumble

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, malt powder and salt.
Pulse in the butter, pulsing until the dough forms clumps.
Turn the mixture in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet and break up some of the large pieces.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and, using a heatproof spatula, gently flip the mixture and bake for 10 more minutes. Let tray cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Let tray cool completely on a wire rack. Crumble in the freeze dried strawberries. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Assemble the Cake

Work with chilled cake layers. Using a long serrated knife torte the layers, cutting them evenly in half. You will have four cake layers total. The tops of the cakes will be the center two layers of your cake. If you made your cake in 3 pans, skip this step.
Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
Spread a thin, even layer of the buttercream on the cake layer with an offset spatula. Pipe a rim (or dam) of buttercream around the edge of the cake layer.
Sprinkle the strawberry cookie crumble on top of the cake layer. Pat into place.
Spread about one cup of the buttercream on top of the crumble using an offset spatula to evenly distribute the buttercream. You're looking for the buttercream to be about 1/4 inch thick total.
Place the second cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat steps 3-6.
Place the third cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat steps 3-6.
Place final cake layer on top and frost with the remaining buttercream. Chill for 30 minutes.
Slice into pieces and serve.

Summer Berry Eton Mess Cheesecake

July 16, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Rich, dense, smooth and creamy, cheesecake is truly a dessert staple. Top it with with freshly whipped cream, crushed vanilla bean meringues, fresh berries and a fresh berry sauce and it’s the perfect indulgent dessert. My summer berry Eton mess cheesecake is a twist on the classic English dessert, Eton mess. Eton mess traditionally consists of macerated strawberries, whipped cream and crunchy chewy meringue. It’s kind of like a deconstructed pavlova where the ingredients are sort of just tossed together, hence, the “mess”. It may be a bit messy, but this dessert is anything but. Creamy, crunchy, rich and tangy, this summer berry Eton mess cheesecake is a lofty beauty and makes a show stopping dessert for any event.

Let’s talk New York cheesecake

New York style cheesecake is generally the type of cheesecake most of people are familiar with. This cheesecake is dense, creamy and smooth in texture. It’s rich, and hard to eat more than just a small piece – even though we try to anyway, because, well, it’s so good.

So what makes this cheesecake so different than others? In all reality, not *that* much. The ingredients in NY style cheesecake are similar in cheesecakes that are light and fluffy or soft and creamy – cream cheese, eggs, sugar and usually heavy cream or sour cream. Non NY cheesecakes can also use different types of cheese – mascarpone, quark, ricotta, etc. It’s how they’re used and the quantities that makes the most difference. In NY cheesecakes, more cream cheese is used, and cream or sour cream is also used, but a small amount is added for richness and creaminess, and extra eggs and/or egg yolks are added to also make it more dense and rich. NY cheesecakes are usually baked at a high temp first, then lowered to get that iconic NY cheesecake brown outer top but still maintain that creamy center. Oftentimes, NY cheesecakes don’t call for a water bath either.

About this cheesecake recipe

Now, this cheesecake recipe is similar to that of the NY cheesecake with some exceptions. I wanted the dense, velvety and creamy cheesecake, but wasn’t sold on the firmer exterior (that occurs without the water bath) or the traditional browned top, for my Eton mess cheesecake. I wanted many of the characteristics of a NY cheesecake, for the cheesecake to be able to stand on it’s own, but also traditional enough to be topped with any sort of topping – fruit, chocolate, curds, etc.

Yes, this cheesecake requires a water bath. I know, it seems daunting, and the worry of leaks is real, but trust me on this. I’ve made many, many cheesecakes over the years, and the water bath is just so necessary to keep the cheesecake from drying out along the edges and to keep the top from cracking, and allows the cheesecake to bake more evenly. I’ve got some tips and tricks in the recipe that will keep you from getting a watery, leaky mess.

The base of the cheesecake is a traditional graham cracker crust that is baked to golden brown before adding the cheesecake mixture. The cheesecake consists of cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and a little bit of heavy cream. Sour cream can be used in place of the cream, just reduce the lemon juice by a teaspoon so that it’s not too tangy. I prefer to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese for my cheesecakes. It’s consistent quality and flavor, and a brand I know I like to bake with. Use a cream cheese you enjoy eating, but also one that doesn’t have a lot of odd ingredients and fillers.

Super important, make sure your cheesecake ingredients are room temperature. If they’re too cold, the mixture could end up lumpy or curdled. The cheesecake mixture comes together pretty quickly in the bowl of stand mixer. Once the eggs are added, do not over beat. Eggs trap air and this could cause the cheesecake to puff and deflate. It’s best to do the heaviest beating when mixing the cream cheese and sugar. This ensures your cream cheese is smooth so you won’t feel like you will have to over mix to smooth out lumps when the remaining ingredients are added and mixed.

Prep the springform pan for the water bath by wrapping it with foil. The best foil to wrap your springform pan in, is 18″ wide heavy duty aluminum foil. This foil is long enough to wrap the pan without coming up short, which could allow the water to seep in. Double layer the foil for extra protection. The foil pan is then placed in a roasting pan, or a large pan (I’ve used a 14″ cake pan many times), and filled with hot water, halfway up the outside of foiled pan. The cheesecake is baked slowly in the water bath for about an hour/hour and fifteen. When the cheesecake is done baking, turn the oven off, prop the oven door open and let it slowly cool in the oven for 45 minutes. This process is crucial for preventing cracks. Cooling the cheesecake too fast can cause cracking. Finishing cooling at room temperature for 2-3 more hours. Then chill the cheesecake for 3 more hours in the refrigerator.

The berry sauce is made by simmering fresh or frozen berries, lemon juice, and sugar. Allow the mixture to simmer until thickened. At this point, you can leave the seeds and chunks of berries in as is, or you can blend, then strain the mixture for a smooth sauce. I typically strain mine for a smooth sauce. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature before using.

Fresh whipped cream requires only 3 ingredients – heavy cream, sugar and vanilla, and is super simple to make. Chill the bowl of a stand mixer and a whisk attachment in the fridge before making the whipped cream. Beat the ingredients together until the cream *just* holds stiff peaks. Spread the cheesecake with the whipped cream, reserving a little bit to pipe in between the meringues.

You can use store bought meringues or you can make your own. Find my recipe for small batch meringues here. Make the meringues according to the directions, but instead of piping the meringues, use a spoon to create rounded spoonfuls (these don’t have to be perfect, or even all that pretty), and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake the meringues for about an hour/hour and a half, until the meringues are firm to the touch, and no longer sticky. They should be firm and crunchy on the outside, and softer and chewier on the inside. Cool before using.

Place the meringues on the whipped cream, overlapping them to create height. Use the remaining whipped cream to pipe in between the meringues. Top the cheesecake with halved strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Drizzle the cheesecake with the berry sauce. Add some fresh, edible flowers or mint for garnish if you wish and serve. Enjoy!

Check out these recipes for more fruity desserts:

Spicy Pineapple Margarita Granita

Black Forest Cupcakes

Honey Cardamom Peach Galettes

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Summer Berry Eton Mess Cheesecake

Creamy, crunchy, rich and tangy, this summer berry Eton mess cheesecake is a lofty beauty and makes a show stopping dessert for any event.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Cooling Time3 hrs

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cheesecake, eton mess, mixed berry, summer berries

Servings: servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ½ cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs, about 10 full graham crackers
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, melted
pinch of salt

Cheesecake

5 (8oz) blocks (1130g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 ⅓ cup (266g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature

Berry Sauce

2 cups (454g) fresh or frozen berries
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Whipped Cream

1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated or confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 batch meringues

Instructions

Make the crust

Heat the oven to 325F. Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter and salt and mix with until evenly moistened.
Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the springform pan.
Bake the crust for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.
Cool the crust completely. Cut (2) 18" pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Criss-cross the pieces so that they overlap, and tightly wrap the foil around the pan and up to the edges of the pan. This size of foil is critical to make sure that the pieces aren't too small, which could allow leaking. Set aside and make the filling.

Make the cheesecake

In the bowl of the stand mixer, place the softened cream cheese. Beat on medium speed to combine and break up the cream cheese.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat for another minute.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again, then add in the sugar and salt. Beat until combined.
Scape the bowl again, then beat for an additional minute, ensuring everything is well blended.
Add in the cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat on low until combined, about a minute.
Scrape the bowl. Add both egg yolks and mix until combined, about a minute.
Scrape the bowl. Add in the eggs, 1-2 at a time, beating until combined, scraping the bowl between additions.
Lightly brush the sides of the springform pan with melted butter.
Place the springform into a roasting pan or a large (14") cake pan. Prepare a pitcher of hot water.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan, and use an offset spatula to smooth out the batter.
Place the roasting pan into the oven. Fill the roasting pan with the hot water, just enough to come halfway up the sides of the foil of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake until the cheesecake jiggles slightly, no longer appears wet and an instant read thermometer reads 150F, about 60-90 minutes.
Once done baking, turn off the oven. Prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Let the cheesecake slowly cool in the water bath in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Remove the foil. Place the cheesecake on a wire rack.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake and keep it from splitting in the middle.
Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, about 2-3 hours.
Wrap the top of the pan with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Make the berry sauce

Combine the berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Break up the berries with a potato masher or a wooden spoon.
Simmer until thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Let the sauce cool completely before using.
For a seedless sauce, blend the mixture until smooth. Strain the mixture using a fine mesh sieve.

Make the whipped cream

Place a bowl and mixer whisk attachment into the freezer for 20 minutes.
Combine the cream, and sugar into the chilled bowl. Beat the mixture until stiff peaks *just* start to form.
Add the vanilla extract and mix just to combine. Use immediately.

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

June 10, 2020 By Ashley 8 Comments

Whenever I ask you guys what kind of recipes you want to see on the blog, more often than not, the request is for my cake recipes. As many of you know, I ran a wedding cake business up until the end of 2019. It was a lot of fun (and a lot of hard work) and I built a super successful business, but decided it was time to take a break to be able to spend more time with my family as well as blog and teach cake decorating full-time. The cake recipes I share here are mostly ones that I used for my business, tried and true client favorites that I have made for years. This strawberry rose buttermilk cake is a recipe I have made many, many, many times and is always a favorite.

My strawberry rose buttermilk cake is one of those cakes that combines flavors in such a way that they’re balanced, and light but straightforward in flavor. This cake is super fruity from the strawberries, and slightly floral from the rosewater, with a deep flavor and a bit of a tang from the super moist, and tender vanilla buttermilk cake.

About the mixing method

Let me tell you – this buttermilk cake is a KEEPER. It’s the perfect foundation for most fillings and frostings, and it makes for beautiful layer cakes. This buttermilk cake is mixed using the reverse creaming, or two stage method. Reverse creaming cakes have a tighter, more delicate and soft crumb. They tend to be more compact, with less of a rise compared to creamed cakes, and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Reverse creaming cakes can be delicate, so they are easiest to layer, carve, stack, etc. when they are chilled. The reverse creaming method gives me exactly what I’m looking for in a white/yellow cake base. This method of creaming and my recipe is partly adapted by Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible. In recent years, I’ve used a recipe I adapted from my dear friend, Liz over at Sugar Geek Show, from her book Artisan Cake Company’s Visual Guide to Cake Decorating, which is also an adapted recipe from The Cake Bible.

Check out Sugar Geek Show’s Cake Decorating Basics tutorials for beginners.

How to make the buttermilk cake

If you haven’t made a cake using this method, don’t be afraid of it. It’s super easy if you follow the notes on the stages of batter texture along the way in the recipe. And, while we’ve been conditioned to “mix until just combined” or “don’t over mix” so that we don’t over develop the gluten which would result in a tough cake, those rules don’t apply the same in this cake. In the instructions, butter is mixed into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Mixing the butter into the dry ingredients coats the flour, preventing too much gluten formation.

Then, a small amount of liquid is added, just until the dry ingredients are *just* moistened and the mixture is beaten on medium-high for two full minutes until lightened in color, and thick like soft-serve ice cream. This mixing is crucial as it helps to form the structure of your cake. The remaining wet ingredients are added in three parts. The cake batter will be a bit on the thicker side.

You will also notice that this recipe doesn’t have baking soda, but uses all baking powder instead. A bit unusual considering there is an acidic ingredient – buttermilk. Baking soda neutralizes the acid in the buttermilk, and also contributes to the rise of the cake. Too much acid can prevent the cake from developing the proper structure, but also can prevent it from browning. So, why did I skip on the baking soda then? Neutralizing the buttermilk also tames the flavor. I wanted full buttermilk flavor. This cake is not too acidic without the baking soda so it browns well and rises properly.

For this recipe, a scale is also required. Scratch cakes can be tricky to make sometimes, and the baking science is very important in the making and baking of scratch cake. We need cakes to be consistent in taste and texture, and bake up with no problems – no sinking, no overflowing, no rubbery layers, etc. A scale is key in getting consistent results. I use this one from Amazon. This recipe will not work if you convert it to volume (cups) measurements.

I also do not recommend using this recipe for cupcakes. This recipe is designed to bake up somewhat flat, and is also more compact. I use a different, slightly less delicate recipe for cupcakes (it’s ah-mazing) that can accompany all sorts of fillings and frostings that I’ll share soon.

About the Italian meringue buttercream

For this cake, I opted to use velvety smooth Italian meringue buttercream. My how-to post for Italian meringue buttercream can be found here. The strawberry buttercream is super fruity, silky and smooth, with just a hint of rose water. To really get a super concentrated strawberry flavor, I recommend using a jam (homemade or store bought) over a puree. Purees aren’t as concentrated in flavor and can be a bit watery. I’ve provided my strawberry reduction jam in the recipe. Really, strawberries and rose go together like peanut butter and jelly. They compliment each other really well and are amazing when paired with the buttermilk cake. However, you can omit the rosewater if you wish- this cake will still be amazing.

I decorated my strawberry rose buttermilk cake with fresh strawberries and edible dried rose petals. I love the delicate, romantic look of it.

In the pictures of the cake in this post, the cake was sliced while it was slightly chilled. Cutting a chilled cake allows for the cake to not fall apart when cutting it, but also it makes for neat and tidy slices. Serve the cake at room temperature.

For more cake and cupcake recipes, check out these recipes:

Black Forest Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Stout Cake

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5 from 7 votes

Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake

This strawberry rose buttermilk is super fruity from the strawberries, and slightly floral from the rosewater, with a deep flavor and a bit of a tang from the super moist, and tender vanilla buttermilk cake.

This recipe yields 2-8" cakes, both just under 2" tall. For a loftier 3-layer cake, make a batch and a half.

Prep Time1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Stacking and Decorating30 mins

Total Time2 hrs 10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, layer cake, strawberry buttercream, strawberry rose, strawberry rose buttermilk cake, swiss meringue buttercream

Servings: 1x2x5 slices

Equipment

Electric Stand Mixer
Bake Even Strips (optional)

Ingredients

Quick Strawberry Jam

3 cups (680g) fresh or frozen strawberries
1/3 cup (66g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Buttermilk Cake

14 oz (397g) unbleached cake flour
14 oz (397g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
8 oz (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
2 oz (57g) canola oil
10 oz (284g) buttermilk, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Strawberry Italian Meringue Buttercream

12 oz (339g) strawberry jam
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon rose water, to taste
1 batch of Italian meringue buttercream

Instructions

Make the quick strawberry jam:

Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan.
Place the pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the strawberries are softened.
Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, smash the strawberries to release their juices and break them up.
Simmer the mixture for 30- 45 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced and has thickened.
Push the hot strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the leftover pulp.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Strawberry Buttercream:

Mix the cooled strawberry jam into the prepared Italian meringue buttercream. Add 1/2 cup/4oz at a time, to ensure the jam gets thoroughly mixed into the buttercream.

Make the buttermilk cake:

Heat the oven to 350F. Prepare your cake pans. Brush the bottoms and sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
Combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Pour 40z/113g of the wet ingredients into a separate mixing cup.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. On low speed, mix for 1 minute.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter chunks, one or two pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, pour in the 4oz of liquid and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and whip for *two full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the remaining wet ingredients in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans.
Bake the layers for 35-45 minutes. Check the cake at 30-35 minutes to test for doneness. If a toothpick comes out clean, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched, take the cakes out.
Tap the cake once, firmly against the counter to remove excess steam. If your cakes dome at all, use a clean kitchen towel to gently push the domes down. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans.
Run a palette or butter knife around the cakes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator a couple hours.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the strawberry jam at little at a time, rosewater and Italian buttercream.
Be sure to mix on low and mix in a little bit of the jam at a time so that the buttercream doesn't separate.
Torte the cake for 4 layers. Fill and frost the cake. Finish with fresh cut strawberries and edible/food safe rose bud petals.

Strawberries and Cream Shortbread Cookies

January 31, 2019 By Ashley 4 Comments

While the sea of heart shaped pink and red filled chocolate boxes and pastry cases in stores this time of year make this sweets lover swoon, there’s nothing quite as special as a homemade sweet treat on Valentine’s Day. So, given that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, I wanted to share the perfect sweet treat for you to make for those you love most in life – Strawberries and Cream Shortbread Cookies. Nothing says “I love you” like carbs and homemade cookies.

I’ve been a long time fan of shortbread cookies. They’re amazing in their simplicity and in all of their adaptable ways. When I was in college, I would purchase boxes of Walker’s shortbread cookies from the British shop in the historic area of our town. They were my favorite. I still visit that British store to buy loads of things – tea, Lyle’s golden syrup, and all things Cadbury but I stick to making my own shortbread nowadays.

These strawberries and cream shortbread cookies are buttery and crumbly and full of strawberry flavor. A creamy strawberry white chocolate drizzle on top takes these cookies to next level. The star of these cookies is freeze dried strawberries. These little nuggets are made by extracting all the water from the berries, resulting in a super concentrated flavor. Freeze dried strawberries and lots of other freeze dried fruits can be found at your local grocery store.

This shortbread cookie recipe is made like a traditional shortbread, by combining the butter and sugar, adding flavoring and then the flour and add-ins. It’s important to not whip your butter and sugar, just mix until creamy and well combined. Whipping air into the butter/sugar mixture can contribute to spreading cookies. After the flour is added, and the dough is still crumbly, crushed pieces of freeze dried strawberries are gently mixed in.

The dough is then refrigerated a bit to make it easier to roll out and cut out shapes. I chose to make cute little heart shapes for Valentine’s Day. Once the hearts are cut out, the cookies go back to the fridge to firm up completely before baking. I like to bake my cookies until the edges start to brown slightly. Baking the cookies at a slightly lower temperature than usual will ensure that they cook through but don’t brown on top.

My favorite part of the strawberries and cream shortbread cookies is the creamy pink white chocolate strawberry drizzle on top. Coloring chocolate usually requires oil based food color, or candy color so that the chocolate doesn’t seize. Luckily you don’t need any food color to tint the chocolate for these cookies. Pulverized freeze dried strawberries are mixed with melted white chocolate to make a super creamy, strawberry flavored pink white chocolate, perfect for drizzling onto your cookies. So, so good.

Turn these into conversation heart cookies by using these craft embossing stamps to imprint your favorite conversation heart sayings. Just stamp the letters into the dough before baking.

I’m kind of obsessed with these photos. Those little hands belong to my littlest kiddo, who so badly wanted to be a part of the photo process for these cookies. Those little pink fingers also promptly shoved that cookie in her mouth upon completion of taking the photos.

For more cookie recipes, check these out:

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Funfetti Sandwich Cookies

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Strawberries and Cream Shortbread Cookies

Buttery, crumbly strawberry shortbread cookies drizzled with pink strawberry white chocolate

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Chilling time1 hr 10 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies, strawberries and cream, strawberry cookies, strawberry shortbread, strawberry white chocolate cookies

Servings: - 24 medium size cookies

Equipment

Electric Stand Mixer

Ingredients

For the strawberry shortbread cookies:

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (60g) confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup (306g) all purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup (10g) freeze dried strawberries, crushed

For the strawberry white chocolate:

1/2 cup (90g) good quality white chocolate, chopped
3 tsps freeze dried strawberries, pulverized

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, confectioners sugar, and vanilla and beat together on medium speed until creamy and combined.
Place the mixer speed to low. Add the flour to the butter mixture and beat until the mixture is crumbly and resembles curds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the crushed strawberries and gently mix until the strawberries are mixed in thoroughly.
Turn the dough out onto some cling film. Press the dough together, forming a disc shape, about an inch in height. Wrap the dough with the cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.
Dust your work surface with flour. Roll out your cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the desired shapes and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches in between the cookies.
Place the cooking sheets into the refrigerator to chill for 45 minutes to an hour. If baking the following day, wrap the cookie sheets with cling film to prevent drying absorbing odors.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F while the cookies are chilling.
Once the cookies are properly chilled, bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to turn a light golden brown.
Let cool completely on the cookie sheets or on a cooling rack.
Place the white chocolate into a microwave safe bowl.
Melt the chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave until only a few lumps of chocolate remain.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir until there are no longer any lumps.
Add in the strawberry powder and mix to combine.
Pour the strawberry white chocolate into a piping bag and decorate the cookies as you wish.