strawberry Archives - Wood & Spoon

Ashley Mac’s Strawberry Cake

Ashley Mac’s Kitchen

Ashley Mac’s strawberry cake is one of the many incredible recipes featured in the new cookbook, ASHLEY MAC’S KITCHEN. The recipes are seriously approachable with celebrations and gatherings in mind. So whether you’re looking for a casserole to share with a friend, a salad to serve at a potluck, or a themed dessert for the season you’re in, ASHLEY MAC’S KITCHEN has it. The book is officially available for pre-order TODAY, which you can do by following this link. If you live in the Birmingham, AL area (hollllaaaa!), you can pick up a book beginning March 20th. There will even be a few book signings too, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Ashley's Mac's Strawberry Cake by Wood and Spoon blog. This is the recipe for the famous strawberry layer cake from Alabama chain restaurant. The recipe comes from Ashley McMakin's new book! Learn how to make a yummy pink strawberry celebration cake on thewoodandspoon.com

Ashley Mac’s Strawberry Cake

Let’s talk cake. Here, we have a fluffy layered cake flavored with fresh strawberry puree and gelatin. The gelatin may sound kinda weird, but that’s where we get the iconic strawberry flavor, moist crumb, and pretty color. The frosting, in my opinion is the star: cream cheese and butter, powdered sugar, and minced berries. Truly, I could eat this frosting by the spoonful; it’s that good. The cake comes together quickly, and, IMO, is the happiest little thing this side of spring.

Please check out ASHLEY MAC’S KITCHEN, available for preorder, and give the book a try. I truly believe you’re going to love it. Happy Tuesday to y’all and happy baking!

If you like this cake you should try:

Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake
Strawberry Icebox Pie
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberries and Cream Pie
Champagne and Strawberries Cake

Ashley Mac’s Strawberry Cake

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This strawberry cake recipe is famous from Ashley Mac’s Kitchen restaurants!

Author: Ashley McMakin
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 120
Yield: 1 (9″) Cake
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 (3 ounce) box strawberry gelatin
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
½ cup pureed fresh strawberries

For the strawberry cream cheese icing:

1/3 cup minced fresh strawberries
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
8 cups confectioner’s sugar
6 drops liquid red food coloring

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Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 3 (9-inch) pans with baking spray with flour. Line the bottom of pans with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and oil at medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, gelatin, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and strawberries. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Evenly divide batter among prepared pans.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
Place 1 cooled cake layer on a cake stand. Spread 1 ½ cups Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing between each layer; spread a thin layer of icing on top and sides of cake to crumb coat. Freeze until icing is set, about 45 minutes. Cover remaining icing and refrigerate while cake sets in freezer.
Spread remaining strawberry cream cheese icing on top and sides of cake as desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

To make the frosting:

Let the strawberries drain on a double layer of paper towels.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter, and salt at medium-low speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. With mixer on low speed, slowly add confectioner’s sugar, about 1 cup at a time, beating until just combined. Add food coloring and beat at medium speed until combined, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in strawberries by hand.

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

Leave a Comment / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

The other day, I found myself googling, “What are the dog days?” Unknowingly, the term had registered in my brain, and even though I couldn’t fully define what it meant, I knew I was living it. It turns out, I was partially right. The dog days, according to Merriam-Webster, is the hottest period of the year, usually between July and August, and it has also become synonymous with a general sense of sluggishness. Can anyone relate?

We’ve been doing all sorts of things to keep the dog days at bay: swimming, beaching, frozen cocktails, and even a fairly elaborate collection of sprinklers. We’ve made no-churn ice cream, taken rides in inner tubes, and cranked our outdoor fan up to high, but so far, not much has protected us from the muggy sleep cloud formally known as an Alabama Summer. One would think that after nearly 20 years in the south I would be used to it, but I’m just not sure one can ever acclimate to 100 degrees temperatures when there’s a toddler crawling on your lap.

To beat the heat, we’ve been having fun doing some indoor things too, like the tea party Aimee and I threw for her classmates last week. We made lemonade punch, macarons, and these little strawberry shortbread cookies, and it was as precious as it was delicious. We loved this recipe so much that I have decided to share it with you today!

My favorite go-to shortbread cookies recipe has become a sleeper hit on this site. So many of y’all love them! When the idea of a fruity shortbread cookie came to mind, I knew we could start safely with my original recipe. Here, butter, sugar, brown sugar serve as the basis for a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. Freeze-dried strawberries add flavor and texture, and a white chocolate drizzle makes them extra sweet. The cookies can be made ahead and the dough only takes minutes to put together. Talk about a win-win!

If you’re looking for a summery recipe requiring little effort, look no futher than these strawberry shortbread cookies. Happy baking!

If you like these strawberry shortbread cookies you should try:

Shortbread Cookies
White Chocolate Ganache Shortbread
Citrus Shortbread Cookies
Brownie Shortbread Bars
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

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These strawberry shortbread cookies are loaded with bits of dried strawberries and topped with a white chocolate drizzle!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 40
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1–3/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
1/8 of salt
¾ cup finely chopped freeze-dried strawberries (dried raspberries also work well!)
½ cup white chocolate chips

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Instructions

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar just until barely combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix just until barely combined, adding the strawberries at the end. Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and bring the dough together into a ball with your hands. Roll it out into a log about 1-1/2-2” thick and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for two hours or overnight if desired.
When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice into ¼-1/2” thick slices and place 2” apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set. Allow to cool.
Gently melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring regularly to keep the chocolate from seizing. Use a piping bag or a fork to drizzle the white chocolate onto the cookies, allowing it to set prior to enjoying!

Brown Butter Peach Berry Crumble

1 Comment / Confections and Candies

Two very important things today: first, a potluck all-star dessert. Brown butter peach berry crumble, anyone? Second, a breakdown of my favorites in one of the coolest Southern cities, Birmingham, AL. If you’re in need of a simple but scrumptious dessert (or an itinerary for a day in Birmingham!), you’ll love today’s post. No time to waste- let’s dive in!

Peach Berry Crumble

Let’s start with the main event: this brown butter peach berry crumble. The recipe is an excerpt from my first book that I’m incredibly proud of, Her Daily Bread. If you haven’t heard about the book, you can learn more here and here! If you have heard of it, you may know that I’ve been sharing one recipe from its pages every month this year. This crumble makes the 7th recipe, and, man, it is definitely worth the wait.

Here, peaches, strawberries (or blueberries and blackberries!) combine and bake together into a bubbling fruit mixture. On top, a brown sugar and butter streusel bakes comes together with butter and salt; the end result is out of this world. While this isn’t the fanciest or prettiest recipe on this site, it’s one that rocks. Summer fruits and the warm flavors of cinnamon and brown butter shine here, making an unassuming, approachable treat.

I love to serve this brown butter peach berry crumble for casual group dinners. A scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream balances out any tart fruit flavors and cool down an otherwise warm treat. This is a great recipe you can batch and serve even for larger crowds, although even a little goes a long way here. If you get a chance to make this recipe, do let me know what you think! Now, on to my Birmingham faves!

Birmingham, AL

Birmingham was my first home away from home. I moved there a number of years ago to attend college, and at one time, I thought I’d live there forever! While plans changed, my love for the city never died. I often have people ask my about my favorite places to eat and things to do in Birmingham, so I thought I’d share a few with you here today.

The croque monsieur at ChexFonFon, the on-tap selection at Diplomat Deli, and a feast of appetizers at East West.

Where to Eat in Birmingham: Lunch

Chex FonFon My Favorite place for pommes frites and fancy lunch cocktails!
Brick and Tin Delicious seasonal food in a beautiful quick-service environment.
Diplomat Deli Sandwiches and craft beers come together in this divey cult fave.
Little Donkey Tacos, mars, and outdoor seating? Yes, please!
Saw’s BBQ Alabama is serious about barbecue, and this is definitely the best in Birmingham.
The Essential A hit among foodies, this new American spot always serves beautiful and flavorful dishes.
Olexa’s A great place for a girly brunch or champagne lunch!

Where to Eat in Birmingham: Dinner

Automatic Seafood Regulary regarded as one of the best restaurants in Bham, this is THE cool place for seafood.
East West Asian fusion cuisine in a hip downtown area.
El Barrio The ambiance and Mexican-inspired food here is hard to beat.
Rojo This is my pick for casual late night Tex Mex.
Gian Marco The undisputed best Italian food in the city.
Slim’s Pizzeria A newcomer to Birmingham with pizza that holds its own.

Barbecue at Saw’s, cocktails at Paper Doll, and rolled ice cream downtown.

Where to Eat in Birmingham: Bakeries

Continental Bakery Come here for artisan breads and good coffee!
Edgar’s Bakery Take-home baked goods and lunch options too!
Pastry Art The legendary baby bites sold here are to die for.
Magic Muffins A casual breakfast option that never fails.
Olexa’s Hands down, the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had. Order warms slices or whole cakes to go!

Where to Drink in Birmingham

The Collins Bar Fun cocktails in a spunky environment.
Paper Doll Craft cocktails in an upscale environment.
Neon Moon Don’t miss karaoke night in this college student fave!
Avondale Brewery Beer drinkers will love this watering hole!
Innisfree Pub This divey place is a weekend late night fave.
Juniper A newcomer, this gin bar has beautiful inside and outdoor seating.
Pi lcrow Cocktail Cellar Another trendy can’t-miss option for cocktails!

A concert at Avondale, shopping at the Summit.

Where to Stay in Birmingham

Valley Hotel This new hotel is a perfect option for weekend trips to hotel. A safe neighborhood, food options within walking distance, and a location just minutes from the airport.
Grand Bohemian This Marriott hotel is great for people looking for a boutique hotel option with a great restaurant in a great neighborhood.
Elyton Hotel For people hoping to stay downtown, the Elyton is without a doubt the best option!

What to Do in Birmingham

Nose Around on 18th Street in Homewood
Catch a Birmingham Barons Baseball Game at Regions Field
Buy Local at Pepper Place Saturday Market
Stroll Jemison Trail
Hike Red Mountain Park
Catch a Backside View of The Vulcan
For Kids: Birmingham Zoo or McWane Science Center

If you like today’s peach berry crumble recipe you should try:

Stone Fruit Skillet Cobbler
Skillet Fruit Pancake
Cherry Pound Cake
Peaches and Cream Trifle

Brown Butter Peach Berry Crumble

Print Recipe

This brown butter peach berry crumble features baked summer fruit under a brown butter brown sugar crumble!

Author: Kate Wood, taken from HER DAILY BREAD
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crumble:

½ cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon table salt

For the filling:

2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches (from about 2 large ripe peaches)
2 cups hulled and chopped strawberries
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch of table salt

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly grease an 8” or 9” baking dish. Begin to prepare the crumble by browning the butter. Cube the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place it into a small, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Stir regularly as the butter melts, bubbles, and begins to foam. Continue stirring continuously and looks for small, amber-colored flecks begin to form on the bottom of the pan. Once the butter is fragrant and golden brown, remove from heat immediately and pour into a large heat-safe bowl. Stir in the sugar and add the remaining ingredients, stirring just until combined into thick clumps. Place in the fridge to cool briefly while you assembly the filling.
Toss together the filling ingredients and pour into the prepared baking dish. Crumble the topping over top of the fruit and bake in the preheated oven until the crumble is golden and the fruit beneath is bubbling, about 25-26 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving with ice cream or whipped cream.

Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

1 Comment / Frozen Desserts

My kids came in as I was finishing up these strawberry shortcake popsicles, and they were astonished. “What are those, Mama?!?” Sure, the sight of a creamy pink popsicle would be a wonder to anyone, but to two kids who have never experienced the full glory of an ice cream truck and all the novelties it contains, these might as well have been magic. For me, these frozen treats are pure nostalgia, hanging out in my heart somewhere between a box of Dunkeroos and a bowl of Kraft Macaroni, and if your summers were spent anything like mine, I’m sure you may love these too. Let’s dive in.

How to Make Homemade Popsicles

To make these strawberry shortcake popsicles, we start by briefly cooking our berries. Sliced strawberries, water, and a little sugar cook in a small saucepan until the mixture heats and the berries start to break down. Gently smash the contents of your pan with the back of a fork to release the juice. Once smooth, remove the mixture to cool briefly. The rest of the recipe is as simple as turning on the blender. Add the strawberries and sweetened condensed milk to a blender to bring the two together. Once smooth, add the heavy cream and vanilla, blending just until the mixture thickens slightly. Pour the thick liquid into a prepared popsicle tray and freeze with the sticks inserted until solid.

The crumble here is made of vanilla wafers, freeze-dried strawberries, and melted butter. All three come together in a food processor until it has been reduced to crumbs. Spread the mixture out into a flat pan or plate and begin removing the popsicles from the molds. I find it’s best to work with the crumble when the popsicles are fresh from the mold, but you can do whatever works best for you. Refreeze the pops in the freezer just until solid and then enjoy! Once frozen, you can wrap in parchment and foil to save for a rainy day, but I’m not sure they’ll last that long. These strawberry shortcake popsicles are perfect this time of year for sure!

With Fourth of July just around the corner, I hope you’ll enjoy cooling off with these yummy strawberry shortcake popsicles. If you give them a try, let me know what you think! Happy Tuesday and Happy Baking!

If you like these strawberry shortcake popsicles you should try:

Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Popsicles
Rosé Popsicles
Champagne Cocktail Popsicles
No-Churn Strawberry Pretzel Pie Ice Cream
Jamocha Popsicles

Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

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These strawberry shortcake popsicles are creamy pops made with fresh fruit and coated with a strawberry cookie crumble!

Author: Kate Wood (adapted from Erin McDowell)
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 5
Total Time: 8 hours
Yield: 10 Popsicles
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the popsicles:

2 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon water
1–1/2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the crumble:

2 cups vanilla wafers
1 ounces freeze-dried strawberries
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3–4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

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Instructions

Combine the sliced strawberries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, gently mashing the softened berries occasionally, until the mixture softens and begins to bubble, about 4- 8 minutes (depending on if you use fresh or frozen berries.)
Spoon the mixture into a food processor or blender and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Puree just until smooth. Add in the condensed milk, heavy cream, and vanilla and blend for another minute until the mixture has thickened slightly. Pour the thickened mixture into prepared popsicle molds, add the popsicle sticks, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours but preferable overnight.
When ready to finish your popsicles, process the freeze-dried strawberries, vanilla wafers, salt, and sugar until they have been reduced to a crumble. Pulse in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter, adding more as needed to make a moist, sandy mixture. Dump the crumbles into a small rimmed dish. Release the popsicles from their molds one by one. I like the fill a glass with hot water and place the unmolded popsicles into it to melt around the edge slightly before gently releasing. Place each one in the freezer on a sheet pan lined with wax paper while you work on getting the popsicles out. Then, coat the popsicles in your crumble mixture and place back on the sheet pan to re-freeze for about 20 minutes. I like to coat the pops when they’re fresh from the mold as the softened edges hold onto the crumble best. Enjoy fresh from the freezer!

White Chocolate Ganache Shortbread

3 Comments / Cookies and Bars

I’ve finally arrived. After years of baking with little kids nipping at my heels, swiping rogue chocolate chips and crumbles of dough from the counter in front of me, my children actually love to bake. This feels an awful lot like arriving. Over the weekend, I asked my daughter what she wanted to do over the next few days: swim? Color? Read books or play outside? She picked baking, and when my heart quit exploding, we posted ourselves by the oven and made all sorts of yummy stuff to enjoy. She was particularly in love with today’s recipe for white chocolate ganache shortbread. The pink hue was a major selling point, but she stuck around for the crumbly “bread,” AKA, the shortbread. She loved it and I think you will too!

White Chocolate Ganache Shortbread

This white chocolate ganache shortbread is a simple press-in crust that is scented with lemon zest. Confectioner’s sugar, flour, and cornstarch (for tenderness!) are added in too, but the butter is the star. I recommend using a high-quality butter, because the flavor really does shine. The crust gets baked in a square pan until barely browning.

In the meantime, you can start on the ganache. A smidge of cream and fresh strawberries are mashed on the stove until thin and juicy. Once bubbles begin to form around the rim of the pan, remove the mixture from the heat and strain the liquid into a bowl of white chocolate chips. Stir stir stir, until the white chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth with no clumps throughout. Pour the mixture over the cooled shortbread and allow the ganache to set up in the fridge until firm. This ganache won’t ever harden completely, and in fact, white chocolate ganache tends to stay a bit chewy/softened. The only thing that means for you is that you’ll want to avoid leaving these in the hot sun- they’re really best served barely cooled.

I hope you give this white chocolate ganache shortbread a try in the coming weeks before those beautiful strawberries disappear for good! You can also try them using raspberries! Blackberries! The world is your oyster. Happy Tuesday to you guys and have a great week!

If you like this white chocolate ganache shortbread you should try:

White Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Tarts
Double Chocolate Ganache Tarts
Caramel Ganache Brownies
Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
Mini Strawberry Galettes

White Chocolate Ganache Shortbread

Print Recipe

★★★★

4 from 1 reviews

These white chocolate ganache shortbread bars feature a buttery lemon shortbread crust and a strawberry white chocolate ganache on top. It’s a perfect mini dessert bite!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 35
Total Time: 120
Yield: 36
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1–3/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
Pinch of salt

For the filling:

Scant 2 cups (300 gm) white chocolate chips
1 cup (140 gm) fresh or frozen and thawed strawberries, chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream

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Instructions

To prepare the crusts:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line an 8” or 9” square pan with aluminum foil extending up the sides of the pan. Cream the butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, and confectioner’s sugar and stir on low until combined. Stir the flour, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Pat the mixture into a flat layer in the bottom of the pan (using wet fingers, if needed) and use a fork to poke a few holes into the bottom. Bake in the preheated oven about 30 minutes or until the shortbread has barely begun to start browning on the top. Set aside to cool while you prep your ganache.

To prepare the filling:

Pour the white chocolate chips in a microwave and heat-safe bowl. Combine the strawberries and heavy cream in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Use a potato masher to crush the strawberries and release their juices as your slowly heat the mixture. Once mashed and the mixture has barely begun to bubble, remove from heat and use a fine mesh sieve to strain the mixture into the bowl of the white chocolate chips. Use a rubber spatula to smoosh any remaining juice or cream into the bowl but keep the strawberries seeds out (unless you’re into that kind of thing!) Use a whisk to stir the mixture and melt the white chocolate chips. If they don’t melt down completely, put the bowl into the microwave for 10 second increments to melt. Keep stirring and microwaving until all of the chocolate has melted. Pour the mixture into the pan and place in the fridge to allow to set up until completely firm. Some bubbles may pop up in the first few minutes and you can use a toothpick to pop those if you want. Once set, use a sharp chef’s knife to cut out small squares and enjoy!

Strawberry Slab Pie

2 Comments / Pies and Tarts

Are we on team fruit pie or team cream pie? You can’t cheer for both- it’s the rules. Me? I’m almost always team cream pie. Give me custards and peanut butter and French silk chocolate fillings any day, but during the summer, fruit pies win all the quality points. This strawberry slab pie is divine for so many reasons: fresh summer berries, a flaky two-layer crust situation, and about 16 sliced opportunities to go “a la mode.”You’re going to want to make this treat, so let’s dive in on the how-to.

Have you heard of slab pie? I’ve shared two varieties on this site before, but I’m really proud of the simplistic deliciousness of this one. No fussy sauces and a no-fail crust situation make this is a really easy dessert option when serving a crowd in the summer. Because this pie is prepared in a jelly roll pan, we’re able to cut a whole lot more slices to serve all the crazy people we want to love on. You can make it in advance or leave it out in the hot sun- heck, you can almost just eat the thing with your bare hands. (I may or may not be speaking from experience, and you better not judge me.)

Making the Pie

To make this strawberry slab pie we start with the crust. Flour, salt, and sugar are incorporated with butter and shortening until clumpy, pea-sized nibs of fat exist throughout. Add ice water until the dough comes together and then refrigerate it all. When you’re ready to assemble the pie, roll out half of the dough to work into the bottom of your pan. Fill the crust with your sugared, vanilla-scented berries and then top with a second rolled-out piece of dough. Crimp the edges, vent the top, and pop that sucker in the oven for a nice, long bake.

I love a metal jelly roll pan for this kind of pie, but you could also squeeze it into a quarter sheet pan or even a 9×13″ baking pan. Some adjustments will be required and baking time may differ depending on the material of your pan. Metal always works great for me, but the key is to make sure the insides of your pie are bubbling. We don’t want a runny pie! This strawberry slab pie tastes terrific with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some fresh whipped cream, but this is totally optional. The only requirement for this pie is that you serve it to friends! Your neighbors! Anyone that matters big time to you! Pie are meant for sharing. (Edit: social distancing rules still apply. Don’t come at me for encouraging you to share dessert.)

Happy hump day to you all and happy baking. I hope this post finds you peacefully in process wherever you happen to be. All my love!

If you like this strawberry slab pie you should check out:

Triple Berry Slab Pie
Caramel Apple Slab Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Berry Streusel Pie
Peach Berry Pie

Strawberry Slab Pie

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This strawberry slab is two layers of flaky pie crust filled with vanilla-scented summer strawberries. Learn how easy it is to serve a crowd with this recipe!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 120
Yield: 16 servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pie crust:

4–1/2 cups (585 gm) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, cold
14 tablespoons (200 gm) shortening, cold
10 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

2 pounds strawberries, halved or quartered into 1” sized pieces
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 egg
Demerara sugar, if desired

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Instructions

To prepare the pie crust:

Give the dry ingredients a whiz in the food processor to combine.
Pulse in the shortening and butter, just until evenly dispersed and pea-sized clumps form.
Add 6 tablespoons of ice water and pulse, add in an additional tablespoon of water until a dough begins to form. I usually need 8 tablespoons of water.
Remove dough from food processor and separate in two round disks. Wrap in Saran wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes prior to use.

To prepare the filling:

Combine the strawberries, brown sugar, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Set aside while you prep your pan.

To assemble your pie:

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 2 teaspoons of water. Set aside while you prepare the pie.
Roll out one half of your dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12”x17” rectangle. Once smoothed and sized, roll the dough back onto the rolling pin and transfer the dough into a 15″ x 10″ x 1″ jelly roll pan. Gently press the dough into the edges of the pan and trim off excess dough, leaving a 3/4’” overhand around all edges. Use some excess dough to fill in spots where the dough may have cracked or wasn’t long enough.
Sprinkle your prepared fruit into the pan and spread out to fill evenly. If your berries have made a ton of excess juice, you can drain a few tablespoons of it.
Roll out your remaining piece of dough to a 12”x17” rectangle. Roll the dough onto your rolling pin and transfer it to the pie. Center the pie top on the pan and fold the bottom edge over the top, crimping with your fingers as desired. Use a knife to vent the pie and brush the egg wash over the top crust. Sprinkle with demerara sugar if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling inside is bubbling. Rotate the pie during baking as needed to brown evenly.

Mini Victoria Cakes

3 Comments / Cakes

It’s Wednesday, and I think we should party like it’s a Friday. If you need some mindless internet perusing, I’m sharing a run-through of all of my current favorites: what I’m eating, what I’m wearing, yada yada yada. On top of that, I’ve got these mini Victoria cakes that are sure to add some pizazz to your mid-week routine. Let’s dive in!

What I’m Eating:

Have we talked about how my husband has a million hobbies? Like, SO many. This man can find 100 things to do in his free time, but the one activity I am always for is fishing. Brett heading out on a deep sea fishing trip means Mama gets ultra-fresh Gulf seafood for dinner. Yes please. I’ve adored this recipe from Julia Moskin for pan-roasted fish with herb butter sauce and think you need to try it ASAP. We usually opt to use snapper, but something similar would work wonderfully too.

What I’m Drinking:

Besides lots of water (shoutout to the nursing Mamas!), I’ve really been hankering for a good cocktail lately. Have you heard of the aviation cocktail? Apparently, it’s an old classic, but after trying it in Charleston a few years ago I’ve been noticing variations of it popping up on menus all over. I finally picked up the liquors to test out this recipe at home and it is DIVINE. All the flavors blend really well together, so it’s not overly citrusy or sweet. If you like gin and aesthetically pleasing beverages, give this one a try.

What I’m Wearing:

Does anyone else feel like all the cool kids’ clothes look like stuff they grew up seeing their mom wear? I’m basically one shoulder pad away from looking like JTT’s Mom on “Home Improvement.” Nevertheless, I’ve got my sights set on a fall wardrobe revamp and I’m seriously into the oversized blazers I’ve been seeing all over the place. Plan on seeing me rock this little beauty from Madewell next month… or as soon as it’s not 100 degrees outside.

Where I’m Going:

Brett and I have a trip to Boston planned for next month! Count me in for at least 15 lobster rolls and all the corny historical walking tours my feet can manage. I landed on this round-up of the best carry-on travel backpacks and immediately started a mental shopping list. My personal fave was the Dagne Dover option, but I’d also like to add this Frye backpack to the mix. Super cute and on sale? Yes please. (PS, send me all of your Boston/Martha’s Vineyard recs!)

What I’m Baking:

Have you ever had a Queen Victoria cake? It’s a classic English sponge cake featuring fluffy vanilla layers that sandwich both a jam filling and whipped cream. I first tried a rendition of this treat at a London Starbucks back in 2010 and hilariously thought it was a Starbucks specialty. Needless to say, I was really disappointed when I got back to the States and couldn’t find the dessert at any of my local coffee shops. In the time since, I’ve seen renditions of the Victoria sandwich cake in various cookbooks and knew a decidedly British treat needed a fancy pants update for all my pinkies-out teas, parties, and events. These mini Victoria cakes are the end result, and they’re so deliciously cute that you will love them too.

To make the tiny treats, we start with the cakes. Although traditional Victoria cakes use self-rising flour, I decided to rely on regular all-purpose flour and added leavening. The batter comes together quickly and is baked in a mini cake pan. Here, I opted to use a mini cheesecake pan like this one, but you can easily sub in a mini cupcake or muffin pan instead. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and then allow to cool completely.

Assembling the Cakes

When you’re ready to assemble your mini Victoria cakes, whip up a stable cream made with heavy whipping cream, cream cheese and powdered sugar. The mixture should be thick enough to stand up on the end of a spoon but still light and fluffy. Use a paring knife the cut the middle of your mini cakes out and pipe in some prepared or store-bought strawberry jam. Top with dollops of the cream and garnish with berries, cutie sprinkles, or whatever else makes you feel like a Queen. Serve immediately or store covered in the fridge until about 20 minutes prior to serving.

These mini Victoria cakes make an excellent finger dessert or pickup treat for evening affairs and brunch hour teas. I’m sharing them with you today thanks to my friends at Kerrygold. Their butter is the perfect addition to these little cakes and flavors each one like a dream. Anytime there are few ingredients involved in a recipe, you want to make sure that you’re choosing flavorful, quality ingredients. I always count on Kerrygold to get the job done. Pick up a few blocks of Kerrygold butter and give these mini Victoria cakes a try! They’re a surefire way to put some sass into your midweek routine. Happy Wednesday and happy baking!

If you like these mini Victoria cakes you should try:

Strawberry Shortcake Macarons

Strawberry Icebox Pie

Rhubarb Layer Cake

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Strawberry Shortcake

Mini Victoria Cakes

Print Recipe

These mini Victoria cakes are a cute little rendition of the classic Bristish sponge cake.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 120
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 24
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cakes:

1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200 gm) sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (270 gm) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

For the filling and whipped topping:

½ cup strawberry jam or preserves
6 ounces cream cheese, at cool room temperature
¾ cup (150 gm) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1–1/2 cups (360 gm) heavy whipping cream
Fresh strawberries, quartered for garnish

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Instructions

To make the cakes:

Preheat the oven (325 for dark pans and 350 for light pans). In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition to incorporate. Add the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined and fold in any unincorporated bits. Lightly grease mini muffin or cheesecake tins and fill each cup 2/3 of the way with batter. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the pan and then carefully remove each cake to cool completely.
When ready to frost and serve, use a paring knife to core out the center of each cake. Fill a piping bag with the jam and pipe jam into the center of each cake. Set aside while you prepare your topping.
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the extract and salt. Slowly drizzle the cream into the bowl while the mixer is on and whip until stiff peaks form. Fill a piping bag with the topping and pipe on top of each cake, covering the jam filling completely. Top with quartered strawberries just before serving. Enjoy at a cool room temperature but store in the fridge.

Berry Slab Pie

Making the Pie

To make this berry slab pie, we start with the crust. Flour, salt, and a bit of sugar are pulsed together with loads of butter until pea-sized clumps exist throughout. We bring the dough together with some ice water and apple cider vinegar and allow it to chill in the fridge. Once the dough is cold, preheat the oven and roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Fit the dough into a jelly roll pan and begin to prep your filling.

Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are tossed together with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pie dish and set it aside while you roll out the top piece of dough. I chose to lattice strips of dough on my berry slab pie, but you can easily opt to roll out the sheet of dough and vent the top instead. Place the pie in a preheated oven and bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.

A Few Things to Know

A few things to know about this berry slab pie: first, you really have to roll out your dough well. A jelly roll pan requires a really big crust, and even though this recipe makes loads of dough you’ll still need to take care to roll it out large enough. Second, feel free to adapt this filling according to your preferences! You can use fresh or frozen berries and even sub in certain varieties of berries. Finally, be sure to taste test the berries before you fill your pie so that you can add more or less sugar as needed. If you find your berries aren’t super ripe you may require a few extra tablespoons of sugar to sweeten up the filling.

Let’s bask in these last few days of summer and fill up on yummy treats like this berry slab pie. Many thanks to my friends at Kerrygold for sponsoring this post. Pies are only as good as the ingredients we put in them (especially when it comes to butter!), so for optimal taste I always trust Kerrygold. Pick up a few sticks at the store and give it a try yourself! Happy Tuesday and Happy Baking!

If you like this berry slab pie you should try:

Peach Berry Pie

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Caramel Apple Slab Pie

Berry Slab Pie

Print Recipe

This berry slab pie is baked in a jelly roll pan and feeds a crowd! Features strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 16
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pie crust:

4–1/2 cups (585 gm) all-purpose flour
1–1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1–3/4 cup (400 gm) unsalted butter, cold
10+ tablespoons ice water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

For the pie filling:

2 teaspoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
8 cups (about 900 gm) mixed berries (I used chopped strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
¼ cup (35 gm) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
1 egg

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Instructions

To prepare the pie crust:

Give the dry ingredients a whiz in the food processor to combine.
Pulse in the butter, just until evenly dispersed and pea-sized clumps form.
Pour the apple cider vinegar into the ice water. Add in 6 or 7 tablespoons of ice water mixture and pulse, adding in an additional tablespoon of water until a dough begins to form. I usually need 9-10 tablespoons of water.
Remove dough from food processor and separate in two round disks. Wrap in Saran wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes prior to use.

To prepare the pie filling:

Combine the lemon juice, zest, and berries in a large bowl. Add the flour, cinnamon, and sugar and toss to combine evenly. Set aside while you make assemble your pie.

To assemble your pie:

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 2 teaspoons of water. Set aside while you prepare the pie.
Roll out one half of your dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12”x17” rectangle. Once smoothed and sized, roll the dough back onto the rolling pin and transfer the dough into a 15″ x 10″ x 1″ jelly roll pan. Gently press the dough into the edges of the pan and trim off excess dough, leaving a 3/4’” overhand around all edges. Use some excess dough to fill in spots where the dough may have cracked or wasn’t long enough.
Sprinkle your prepared fruit into the pan and spread out to fill evenly. Roll out your remaining piece of dough to a 12”x17” rectangle. Roll the dough onto your rolling pin and transfer it to the pie. Center the pie top on the pan and fold the bottom edge over the top, crimping with your fingers as desired. Use a knife to vent the pie and brush the egg wash over the top crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling inside is bubbling. Rotate the pie during baking as needed to brown evenly.

Champagne Cocktail Popsicles

9 Comments / Food and Drink

I think it’s a cruel joke that drinking alcohol is not allowed when you’re pregnant. Imagine being 25 pounds heavier than normal in the dead of summer. Imagine there’s two other kids at home who dominate you day and night because they know your 9 month pregnant self is too tired to chase after them. At that moment, don’t you really deserve a cocktail? Wouldn’t you really want something that would cool down and refresh that tired, center-heavy body of yours? The answer is an obvious and resounding YES, so in my late pregnancy, in the heat of my cocktail craving days, I started working on the recipes for the 3 varieties of champagne cocktail popsicles that you’ll read about today. It’s a summertime treat that everyone, Mamas especially, are deserving of, and I think you’re really going to like them.

Champagne Popsicles

First up is a mimosa popsicle. Made with fresh orange juice, sparkling wine, and just a smidge of simple syrup, this is the push-pop your brunches have been waiting for. I love a classic mimosa as much as anyone, but a mimosa popsicle? That’s something to write home about. The second option is a bellini pop! Fresh peach wedges are pureed and stirred with champagne and a teeny bit of syrup to create a seriously fruity popsicle that is altogether summery. I found I enjoyed this one the most, particularly since peach season is showing out in all it’s glory right now. You can use frozen peaches here, but this is also a great way to use up peaches on the verge of going bad. Finally, we have a strawberry lime champagne popsicle. Pureed berries, simple syrup, a squeeze of lime juice, and bubbles round out the list of ingredients for these pops. They’re a crowd pleaser, and you can easily include a little bit of lime zest for extra citrus flavor.

What You’ll Need

While traditional popsicle molds work fine here, I really encourage you to consider grabbing some of these disposable plastic push-pop bags. They’re super inexpensive (I found mine on Amazon!) and make the perfect portion size for these champagne cocktail popsicles. Keep in mind that alcohol does not freeze; these will melt faster than your average pop! If you opt to not use plastic sleeves, consider serving small popsicles in a glass with a tiny pour of champagne at the bottom. I saw something similar here and think it would make for a cute beach or brunch cocktail to serve.

These champagne cocktail popsicles are indeed boozy; feel free to add a bit more fruit if you prefer a more subtle wine flavor. No need to splurge on any expensive booze here- just something inexpensive that you wouldn’t mind drinking a small bit of. Either way, be sure to stay cool with these grown-up popsicle cocktails (poptails?) and let me know what you think! Happy Monday and Happy Drinking!

Champagne Cocktail Popsicles

Print Recipe

These champagne cocktail popsicles come in three push-pop flavors: Bellini, mimosa, and strawberry lime!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 240
Yield: 4
Category: Dessert/ Cocktail

Ingredients

For Mimosa:

1 cup orange juice
½ cup sparkling wine
1 ounce simple syrup, optional

For Bellini:

1–1/3 cups chopped peaches
½ cup sparkling wine
2 ounces simple syrup

For Strawberry Lime:

1–1/3 cups chopped strawberries
½ cup sparkling wine
Juice of one lime
2 ounces simple syrup

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Instructions

For the Mimosa:

Combine the orange juice and sparkling water in a large measuring cup. Taste the mixture and add simple syrup if you desire the pops to be sweeter. Divide the mixture via funnel into 4 disposable plastic push-pop tubes. Freeze until solid!

For the Bellini:

Combine the chopped peaches, sparkling wine, and syrup in a blender and process just until the peaches have been pureed and the mixture is smooth. The mixture will bubble slightly. Allow some of the bubbles to subside, re-stir the mixture, and then divide is among 4 disposable plastic push-pop tubes. Seal and freeze until solid.

For the Strawberry Lime:

Combine the chopped strawberries, sparkling wine, lime juice, and syrup in a blender and process just until the strawberries have been pureed and the mixture is smooth. The mixture will bubble slightly. Allow some of the bubbles to subside, re-stir the mixture, and then divide is among 4 disposable plastic push-pop tubes. Seal and freeze until solid.

Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake

3 Comments / Cakes

You’ve got a reason for partying, right? Whether it’s a booked vacation, the last day of school, or even just surviving the first half of the week, we all have something to hoot, holler, and bake about. For your summertime entertaining purposes, I have the prettiest pink-hued strawberry rhubarb layer cake. It’s filled with a homemade rhubarb jam and an oatmeal streusel and is slathered with a jam buttercream. Yes, it’s as sweet, salty, and fruity-delicious as it sounds, and you’re definitely going to want to read all about it.

First, here’s a quick update on us. Today is my Aimee girl’s last day of school. For us, this means summer begins and we can officially begin waiting on baby number 3 to show up. At 33 weeks along in this journey, I know there’s a few bloaty, swollen, heart-burny third trimester days in my future, but I’m counting down the minutes with anticipation regardless. The prospect of life as a family of 5 is currently blowing my mind, and I’m equal parts nervous-sweating and excited all at once.

We’ve spent the past few weeks nesting like crazy to get the big kiddos situated in their rooms and to prepare the nursery as much as possible. I’ve been washing clothes, organizing bottle parts, and doing double duty on the blog front to get some recipes lined up for you guys while we are in the newborn haze. My camera is currently caked in frosting and shards of shredded coconut, sticky and dirty from an overhaul of photoshoots, and my computer desktop is covered in a whole bunch of words, photos, and ingredients lists that I plan to share in the future. If I manage to pull this all off seamlessly, it will be a miracle. Pray for me.

Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake

The silver lining of all this insanity is that there’s a strawberry rhubarb layer cake today. It’s as pretty as it is delicious and equally appropriate for the season. This cake feels worthy of all our life victories, big and small. Plus, it’s so well-rounded in flavor, texture, and sweetness that it might just be my new favorite cake. Only maybe though, because see here and here.

Making the Cake

To make this strawberry rhubarb layer cake, we start with a quick jam. Chopped strawberries and rhubarb toss into a pan with sugar and water. The fruit cooks down until it’s a loose jam consistency that we can chill in the fridge. This jam can be used on scones, as a filling, or even as an ice cream topping! Super simple and delish.

The Steusel

The next component is the streusel. Butter, sugar, oats, and flour come together with a bit of cinnamon and ginger. Bake the crumbled mixture in the oven until it forms a crisp, granola-consistency crunchy mixture. While that cools, we can work on the cake! This is a simple buttermilk cake made with butter, eggs, and flour. 3 layers of fluffy, vanilla goodness emerge from the oven and helps to marry all of the cake components as one.

The Buttercream

We stack the cake as usual, using a bit of frosting to dam in the jam and streusel filling. Once all 3 tiers have been assembled, we coat the whole thing in a strawberry rhubarb buttercream which gets made with a bit of that jam from earlier. The frosting takes on a pretty pink color that looks incredibly festive and fun. It’s a fairly easy buttercream to prepare and work with, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

If you’re in need of a towering cake to make these toasty May days even more beautiful, please give this strawberry rhubarb layer cake a try! It’s absolutely divine and 100% worth the effort. Happy hump day and happy baking!

If you like this strawberry rhubarb layer cake you should check out:

Raspberry Streusel Cake

Raspberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Rhubarb Shortcakes

Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This strawberry rhubarb layer cake has a jam filling, a streusel topping, and fluffy buttermilk layers. The frosting is a jam buttercream!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 60
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 180
Yield: 1 Cake
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the Rhubarb Jam:

¾ pound rhubarb, chopped
¾ pound strawberries, hulled
¾ cup (150 gm) sugar
1 tablespoon water

For the Streusel:

¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (40 gm) flour
1/3 cup (70 gm) brown sugar
1/3 cup (30 gm) quick cooking oats
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger

For the Buttermilk Cake (Adapted from Spoonful of Butter):

1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1–1/3 cups (270 gm) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2–1/2 cups (350 gm) all-purpose flour
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 gm) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Rhubarb Jam Buttercream:

1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup, plus an extra 2 tablespoons (if needed) of rhubarb jam

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Instructions

To prepare the rhubarb jam:

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized pot over low heat. Stir to combine and continue stirring regularly until all of the sugar has dissolved. You can test this by carefully rubbing a little bit of the liquid in the pot between two fingers- it should feel smooth.
Continue to cook over low heat, stirring regularly until the mixture comes to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the rhubarb and berries have broken down and the mixture is approximately applesauce consistency. Remove from heat and place in a heat-proof bowl to cool in the fridge. This jam will keep in the fridge for approximately 2-3 weeks.

To prepare the streusel crumbs:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small saucepan over medium heat melt and brown the butter. See the link in my blog post for help on this. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, cinnamon and ginger together in a medium sized bowl. Add the browned butter to the mixture and fold together until the ingredients clump into dime-sized bits. Spread out on a sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven, tossing occasionally, for 10-12 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown. Allow to cool completely before using or storing. Streusel can be made ahead and stored at room temperature for a week, or in the freezer for a couple of months.

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You can opt to make a 2 layer 8” cake or a 3 layer 6” cake. Whichever you choose, grease your pans and line the bottom of each with parchment rounds.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed (I use 4 on my mixer) until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs one at a time. Beat for an additional minute. Add half of the flour, the baking powder, and salt, and stir on low to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add half of the buttermilk. Repeat this process with the remaining half of the flour and buttermilk. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold in any unincorporated bits of batter. Divide the batter among the pans and bake in the oven until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For 3 6” cakes, this will take about 25-27 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling.

To prepare the jam buttercream:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar, extracts, and salt. Stir to combine and add the ¼ cup of jam. You’ll likely need an additional 2-3 tablespoons of jam to thin the buttercream out to spreading consistency. Beat in the mixer for an additional minute until smooth and combined, and add a tablespoon of milk or water as needed to get the right consistency for spreading.

To assemble your cake:

Level the cakes using a serrated knife. Spoon 1/3 of your frosting into a piping bag or large plastic bag with a hole snipped in the end so you can pipe a dam around the border of your cakes. Place a small amount of buttercream on a cake board or serving platter and place your first cake directly on top. Spread a small amount of buttercream on top of that layer and then use your piping bag to pipe a “dam” around the perimeter of the cake. The dam can be narrow but should be about ¼-1/2” tall. Spoon jam inside of the dam just barely under the top of the dam and then sprinkle streusel on top. Stack the next layer of cake and then repeat this process again finishing with the 3^rdlayer of cake. Spread the remaining icing around the outside of the cake and decorate as desired! The cake is best stored covered in the fridge and then brought barely to room temp prior to serving.