Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

This one is a keeper for sure! I am not a big pound cake fan because I don't like more butter taste than sweet taste in my cupcakes but this one has it all... the denseness that you like from pound cake, moistness from the cream cheese, and of course the added strawberry stripe. I really liked the cupcake. I topped it first with cream cheese ice cream which was a first for me both eating and making. I think I should have let the cream cheese soften a tiny bit more or whipped it longer but it is amazingly rich and not overly sweet. I also used xylitol instead of granulated sugar. I do this a lot because I try to avoid sugar ( Ha Ha Ha ) and this makes me feel better about taste testing. Finally the cupcake has a Grand Mariner Ricotta Cream and Grand Mariner soaked strawberries. I love using Grand Mariner in my glazes and for soaking my berries. YUM is the best adjective for this baby. And it was just as much fun to photo as it was to bake and eat.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

this made 6 large/jumbo cupcakes

1 4 oz package cream cheese - room temp
3/4 cup butter - room temp
1.5 cups white sugar
3 eggs - room temp
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and sugar 6 jumbo cupcake tins or a 10 inch tube pan.
In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth; take your time creaming the mixture. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy; about 3-5 min.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Beat for about 2 min after last egg Add the flour all at once and mix in just until incorporated ; don't over mix. Add vanilla.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 325 for 31-34 min with jumbo tins or for 1 hour and 20 minutes with tube pan. With tube pan check for doneness at 1 hour. Cool for 5 min in tin and then to rack to cool completely.


Cream Cheese Ice Cream

8 oz cream cheese - softened
1.5 cups milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Transfer to ice cream maker and freeze according to directions. Let harden in freezer two hours before enjoying

Grand Mariner infused Ricotta Cream


1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp Grand Marnier
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)

Place the ricotta in a small strainer set over a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to drain the excess liquid. Transfer the drained ricotta to a food processor or blender, add the brown sugar and Grand Mariner; process until smooth. The ricotta mixture can be made up to 8 hours in advance, covered and kept refrigerated.