New Toys and New Recipe- WOO WOO!!! Fresh Strawberry Cake With Cream Cheese Icing ~ The Self-Taught Cook™

I realize no one is reading these things at this point, but I'm enjoying it anyway. If nothing else, it serves as a culinary diary. Anyway, we got two new kitchen toys this weekend. I say we because I don't usually drink coffee and Jorge doesn't usually use a mixer. However, when they're new, we both play with them. So now you know; we're both easily entertained.

So, here is a picture of Jorge's new toy. It's a Keurig Gourmet Single Cup Home Brewing System. As I said, I don't usually drink coffee, but it's so good that I've had two cups since yesterday. That may be a record for me.

My toy is a KitchenAid® Artisan Stand Mixer. I already had a stand mixer, but with this one I can add different attachments. I used it tonight and loved it. It is soooo much smoother than my old one.

Now, as for how I used my mixer tonight, I wanted to try a new recipe I found. I can't take credit for it, but it's delicious. It came from Southern Plate, and I hope I don't get into trouble for passing it on here. Here is her recipe for Fresh Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Fresh Strawberry Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
■1 Package Plain White Cake Mix
■1 Cup Chopped strawberries, with juice
■3/4 Cup Milk
■1 Package Strawberry Gelatin (3 ounce)
■3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
■3 Eggs

Grease and flour two 8 inch round baking pans or one 9×13 inch pan. Gently mash strawberries by placing them in a large plastic bag and rolling over it with a rolling pin or large can. Place cake mix, milk, gelatin mix, vegetable oil, and eggs in large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about two minutes or so. Add in strawberries and juice, mix again until well combined. Pour into baking pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If using two round pans, allow to sit for ten minutes before turning out of pans to cool completely. If baking in 9×13 pan, simply allow to cool in pan.

Cream Cheese Icing
■8 ounce Cream Cheese, room temp
■4 Tablespoons margarine, room temp
■3 Cups confectioner’s sugar
Combine all ingredients and mix with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Ice cooled cake.

Store cake in refrigerator.

And here's the finished product. Since I'm not taking it anywhere and had no one to impress, I just iced it in the pan. Next time, I may try strawberry-flavored cream cheese for the frosting. It's just a thought, though.

And here is my favorite kitchen assistant.....