Dark and white chocolate strawberry layer cake!

We were going over to a friends house for dinner and i said that i would bring a dessert and OOOOH MAN i couldn't wait to make this so i thought PERFECT! Strawberries just went on sale i HAVE to make it! I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this cake was! EVERYONE loved it. My friend even asked if she could keep a big ole chunk so they could have it the next day (now when have people EVER ASKED for you to leave leftovers with them??)! This has such a nice blend of flavors but without being heavy and overly sweet. The best way i can explain the taste is a Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake!
Now i would LOVE to give credit to someone for this cake (because i didn't come up with it) but i can't remember whose blog it came from, so if it's your cake let me know!

Dark and White Chocolate Layer Cake
Ingredients:
For the dark chocolate cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the white chocolate whipped cream:
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

For the whipped cream frosting:
1 cup cold heavy cream
4 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fresh strawberries, for filling and garnishing

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides of two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the sugar, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; mix at medium-low speed until smooth. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, remove the cakes from the pans, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake has cooled, cut each in half horizontally to create four cake layers.

To make the white chocolate whipped cream, place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is almost melted, bring 1/2 cup of the cream to a boil. Once the chocolate is fully melted, transfer the bowl to a counter, pour in the hot cream and let it sit for one minute. Then stir gently with a spatula until the chocolate is smooth. Let the chocolate sit until it reaches room temperature - the chocolate can’t be the least bit warm when it is added to the whipped cream.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 cup cream only until it holds the softest peaks. With the mixer on high speed, add the white chocolate all at once and continue to beat just until the mixture holds firm peaks. Transfer the cream to a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap gently against the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the whipped cream frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat the cream, sugar and vanilla together just until the cream starts to thicken. Start on a slower speed and increase the speed as the cream gains texture. Continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Be very careful not to overbeat.

To assemble the cake, transfer one of the cake layers to a 10-inch cardboard circle, cut surface up. Spread a thick layer of white chocolate whipped cream on top of the cake. Layer with fresh strawberry slices. Lay another cake layer on top of the cream and berries, and press down gently. Top as before with white chocolate whipped cream and berries. Repeat once more with another cake layer and topping. Place the final cake layer on top, cut side down, and press down gently. Frost the cake with whipped cream frosting and garnish with fresh berries as desired.

Strawberry Lemon Tart

I would like to thank Katie for making this so that i could have to recipe to make it! Chris was having a hard week at work and so i wanted to make something nice for him to cheer him up and he LOVES lemon anything! So i made this yummy Strawberry Lemon Tart! We just loved it! It's the perfect sweetness without being heavy! We're really looking forward to this summer when i can add some other fresh fruit on it and maybe an apricot glaze!

Strawberry Lemon Tart

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, room temp
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 pinch salt

1 1/4 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 egg yolks
1/4 c. sugar
1/8 c. flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 c. strawberries

Directions:
-In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, place butter and beat until softened.
-Add sugar and beat on high into butter until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
-Turn mixer to medium and add egg, beating until just combined.
-Add flour and salt and beat until mixture comes together, about 2-3 minutes. Do not overwork.
-Remove bowl from mixer, press dough together into ball and pat into flat disk.
-Cover disk tightly in plastic wrap and place into fridge for 20 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine milk, vanilla, and lemon zest and place over medium heat.
-Meanwhile, in small mixing bowl, combine egg yolk and sugar and mix to combine well.
-Add flour and cornstarch and beat into yolk mixture to combine very well.
-When milk mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat, add a spoonful into the yolk mixture to temper, then add yolk mixture into milk, whisking constantly to combine.
-Place back over heat, whisking constantly until mixture thickens well.
-Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.
-Place into bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing over the top of the cream to avoid a crust and place into fridge to chill well.
-Remove dough from fridge and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Prepare 9 inch tart pan.
-On floured surface, roll out tart dough and then place evenly into tart pan.
-Smooth a little bit of flour onto the top of the tart dough, place a piece of tinfoil over and fill with pie weights.
-Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until it turns golden brown.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely.
-Once ready to serve, wash and dry strawberries thoroughly, remove tops and slice each into half.
-Remove lemon pastry cream from fridge and spread evenly into bottom of tart shell.
-Top pastry cream with strawberry halves and serve.

Strawberry Margarita Cup Cakes!

Oh Yum! Who doesn't love something a little special and different. Well I had a work function to cook for and I thought a great summer desert would be these amazing cupcake from Katie's blog. I was right, especially when I also made the Pina Colada Cup Cakes!
So without further ado, here's the cup cakes!

Here's Katie's ingredients: I was lazy and use white cake mix and followed the directions on the box except instead of water i used strawberry Daiquiri mix. Turned out great, I topped it with her icing and then a little slice of lime~

Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp instant milk powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 c. strawberry margarita/daquari mix (or strawberry puree, strained removing seeds)
1/3 c. water
5 egg whites, at room temperature

3 c. confectioners’ sugar
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 Tbsp milk, plus more, if needed, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 that lime, at room temperature


Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.
-In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, instant milk, baking powder and salt and set aside.
-In small bowl, combine strawberry puree and water and set aside.
-In bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high until light (about 3 mins).
-Beat in the vanilla extract.
-Reduce the speed to low and, dividing the flour mixture into 3 batches, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the strawberry mixture just until combined.
-In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters and set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
-Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the batter just until incorporated.
-Divide the batter between the cupcake molds.
-Bake about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
-Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute.
-Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Add lime zest and lime juice and quickly beat on high until whipped (adding more milk if needed), about 30 seconds.
-Remove from oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
-Let cool on racks until completely cool.