Strawberry Sheet Cake with Lemon Frosting

Ingredients

Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs large
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons strawberry flavored jello gelatin powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk well shaken
2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
2/3 cups sugar divided
2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line the baking dish with parchment paper with the long sides extending 2-3 inches. Spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
Using a stand-up electric mixer, beat butter (1 cup) until creamy. Slowly add sugar (2 cups) then continue to beat for 4-5 minutes until it's fluffy. Add eggs (2) one at a time, and beat after each addition until they're incorporated. Add lemon juice (2 teaspoons) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) and mix in.

In a small bowl combine flour (2 1/2 cups), strawberry jello (2 tablespoons), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1/4 teaspoon). Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk (1 cup), beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Gently stir in strawberries (2/3 cups). Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely. Lift the cake out of the pan, using the parchment paper extensions.

Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese (8 ounces) with 1/3 cup of sugar until the mixture is smooth. Fold in strawberries (2/3 cups).
In a large bowl, beat the cream (1 1/2 cups) and lemon juice (3 tablespoons) until the mixture is frothy. Continue beating on medium-high speed and gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream mixture.
Immediately spread the top and sides of the cake with frosting. 

Chocolate Stampede Cake

*** I like to layer this in little souffle cups instead of making an actual cake.

Ingredients

For the cake and mousse:

1 18 .25-ounce box devil's food cake mix (plus required ingredients)

14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks)

unsalted butter, diced

1/4 cup strong coffee

10 large eggs, separated

1 1/2 cups plus 6 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups cold heavy cream

For the shell and sauce:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

5 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

To serve:

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Directions

Make the cake: Prepare the cake mix as the label directs for a 9-by-13-inch cake. Bake; cool slightly in the pan, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

Clean out the cake pan and line it with plastic wrap. Cut the cake in half lengthwise, then in thirds crosswise to make 6 rectangles. Using a serrated knife, slice each rectangle in half to make two layers. Arrange half of the pieces snugly in the cake pan. Crumble the remaining pieces and press tightly into 6 small balls; arrange 1 cake ball in the center of each cake rectangle in the pan.

Make the mousse: Heat the chocolate, butter, coffee and 1/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), stirring, until melted. Remove the bowl from the pan; stir until cool. Reserve the simmering water. Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Whisk the egg yolks, 1 1/2 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a separate large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk until pale yellow, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chocolate-coffee mixture and the vanilla and whisk until combined, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and set in the bowl of ice water; whisk until slightly cool but not thick, about 4 minutes.

Beat the egg whites and salt in a bowl with a mixer until foamy. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until almost stiff; gently fold into the chocolate-yolk mixture to make a dark chocolate mousse. Spread 5 cups over the cake and cake balls. Freeze until firm on top, about 30 minutes.

Beat the heavy cream and the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form; fold into the remaining mousse. Remove the cake from the freezer; spread with the light chocolate mousse, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Make the chocolate shell: Stir the chocolate, heavy cream and 4 tablespoons corn syrup in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) until melted. A spoonful at a time, spread half of the shell mixture over the frozen mousse. Return to the freezer.

Make the chocolate sauce: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon corn syrup and the butter to the remaining chocolate shell mixture. Microwave 30 seconds, then stir until glossy.

To serve the cake, beat the heavy cream with a mixer until foamy. Add the sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Remove the cake from the freezer; invert onto a baking sheet and unmold, then invert again onto a platter, chocolate shell-side up.

Cut the cake in half lengthwise using a warm knife, then cut into thirds crosswise to make 6 rectangles; cut each rectangle in half diagonally to make 2 triangles. Top each triangle with whipped cream, ice cream and the prepared chocolate sauce.

Lemon Pound Cake (Katelynn's Favorite)

INGREDIENTS:

Loaf

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon extract, to taste (not teaspoons; and not lemon oil and not lemon juice - see step 4 in directions)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Lemon Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.

2. Loaf - To a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, sour cream, and whisk vigorously until smooth and combined.

3. Drizzle in the oil while whisking to combine.

4. Add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and whisk to combine. Note - I used 2 tablespoons of lemon extract because no actual lemon juice is used in the loaf and I found 2 tablespoons lemon extract necessary for full-bodied lemon flavor, but add to taste. Don't use lemon oil and lemon extract interchangeably because they're not; oil is much more potent and intense. Don't use lemon juice in place of lemon extract because it's not strong enough and the acidity can alter the overall results.

5. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and stir until just combined, don't overmix. Some lumps will be present and that's okay, don't try to stir them smooth.

6. Turn the batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for about 50 to 52 minutes, or until top is domed, set, and toothpick inserted in the center crack comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter. In the last 10 minutes of baking, tent pan with foil (loosely drape a sheet of foil over pan) to prevent excessive browning on the top and sides of bread before center cooks through.

7. Allow loaf to cool in pan on top of a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (I cooled 4 hours) before turning out onto rack to cool completely before glazing.

8. Lemon Glaze - To a small bowl, add the confectioner's sugar and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice while whisking until smooth and combined. You may need to play with the sugar and lemon juice amounts a bit as necessary for desired consistency and flavor.

Evenly drizzle glaze over bread before slicing and serving. Extra glaze can be spread on the cut surface of the bread like you'd spread butter on toast and it soaks right in making the bread even moister and more lemony. Or you can halve the glaze recipe if you're not a glaze person. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months; I don't recommend storing it in the fridge because it'll dry out.

Incredible Coconut Cake

Cake Ingredients:

5 eggs, separated

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2-1/4 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups flaked coconut, chopped

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Frosting Ingredients:

2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup butter, softened

4-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar

1-1/4 teaspoons coconut extract

2 cups flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°. In another large bowl, beat sugar, butter and oil until well blended. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.

                 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut.

               

Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites.

               

Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

               

For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and extract; beat until smooth.

               

Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 16 servings.