Monday, July 5, 2010

Strawberry Cake a la Martha Stewart - Blue Monday







A touch of small town Americana for Blue Monday.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I hope you've had the opportunity to visit the beautiful and informative blog, NJ Epicurean. Several days ago, Jen, its creator, featured a strawberry cake that was originally developed by Martha Stewart. Martha's recipe and reviews of it can be found here. Strawberry yields are still high in our community, and abundant and inexpensive berries gave me the incentive I needed to try this very simple cake. We've just finished dessert and I'm happy to report the recipe produces a great snack cake. It can be quickly assembled and works well as a stand-in for strawberry short cake. The only drawback, if there is one, is that cake is very sweet and may be off-putting to those who favor European-style cakes and pastries. The cake is best served warm with a dollop of cream or a scoop of ice cream. Everyone who has reviewed the recipe also reports it is slow to stale. If properly wrapped, it will keep for several days in or out of the refrigerator. The cake takes about 10 minutes to make and that ease of assembly puts it squarely into my recipe files. I hope you will try this. Here's the recipe.

Strawberry Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons pearl sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie plate.
2) Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
3) Place butter and 1 cup sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, orange zest and vanilla and almond extracts.
4) Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle pearl sugar over all.
5) Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Strawberry Glace Tart - One Perfect Bite
Strawberry Yogurt Pie - One Perfect Bite
Strawberry Panna Cotta - One Perfect Bite
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt - Simply Recipes
Strawberry Preserves - Los Angeles Times
White Zin-ful Strawberry Cooler - Poor Girl Eats Well

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

84 comments :

Nina Timm said...

Bookmarked for summer time, I don't think it will work with frozen strawberries. I wouldn't mind having a piece right now!!!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Hi, Mary! What a fabulous dessert, and I think you could give Martha lessons!

That's a refreshing sign. I do love small town America. It's home!

Happy Blue Monday and hope your Fourth was happy, too!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Ren- Lady Of The Arts said...

Yum! This looks so good- I am sure the lemon zest gives the strawberries a bit of a kick.
Have a great day!

Gloria Baker said...

What lovely strawberry cake Mary, look perfect and beauty, huggs, gloria

xinex said...

It looks wonderful, Mary! Yum!..Christine

SmilingSally said...

Ah Mary, I don't think that it could be too sweet for me!

Happy Blue Monday!

Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...

Excellent! Gorgeous and tasty! Thanks!

LV said...

I have missed out lately having a good lunch with you. I would take a piece of this pie anytime. You had just the right amount of blue thrown in as well.

The Words Crafter said...

Oh my, my husband is going to love this, thanks Mary!

Sanura said...

It looks like strawberry season is almost over here in New York. I would love to try this recipe with another fruit.

faith said...

This looks so delicious! I can't wait to try it!

Pie said...

The cake looks delicious!

My Blue Monday.

Unknown said...

What a great looking cake. I will have to get some strawberries now.

Diane said...

That looks really nice. I will make it for Nigel, but I have to miss eating the strawberries. Perhaps though I will get the flavour so that would be nice. Have a good day. Diane

Sutapa said...

What a lovely , gorgeous and delicious cake Mary!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

I like cake with fresh fruit too, this cake look just very good!

Priya Suresh said...

Beautiful cake, lookss soooo marvellous..

Sushma Mallya said...

Lovely strawberry cake...have a great week ahead mary..

Hearty Bakes said...

Looks fruitilicious good!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Cake served warm sounds very intriguing. I think a little vanilla ice cream on the side would be worthy.

FOODESSA said...

Mary, I'm glad to know that this is not a fussy cake. What I'm very pleased about is your gentle warning about the sugar factor.

Thanks for your review and baking experience.

Have a great day and flavourful wishes, Claudia

Receitas para a Felicidade said...

MARY, Superb, delicious and very tempting cake.
Have a good week, kiss.

Umm Mymoonah said...

Very soft and yummy cakes, i love these ideas of blue monday, pink saturday.... I would also like to join you girls in this.

eileeninmd said...

Your strawberry cake looks so yummy. And it seems easy to make, that my kin of recipe. Havea great week!

eileeninmd said...

Your strawberry cake looks so yummy. And it seems easy to make, that my kin of recipe. Havea great week!

bj said...

UMMM...sounds delicious. We would all like this as strawberries are our favorite berry!!
xo bj

penny aka jeroxie said...

Seems so easy to bake! Have to check it out.

Katerina said...

Mary you just said the magic word; easy and tasty (actually the words were two). Anyway, this looks very promising.

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

Wow, that looks scrumptious - the best of a coffee cake and a lattice pie crust. What a wonderful way to take advantage of lovely summer strawberries.

Simply Life said...

oh my, that would make martha proud! nice work!

Cathy said...

I'm hearing that strawberry season is almost over but I'll have time to bake this lovely cake before the berries are gone. It came and went too fast this year.

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday weekend, Mary. We've lucked out with the weather.

Allie and Pattie said...

Perfect timing mary! We're visiting at my son's in FL and his neighbor brought over a HUGE basket of berries last night- this will be wonderful for today's picnic at the beach! Have a wonderful day!
xoxo Pattie

Joanne said...

An easy, delicious, durable fruit-filled cake? Sounds good to me. Especially with fresh local strawberries!

PeggyR said...

Another great recipe! Have a good Monday!

Jen_from_NJ said...

Hi Mary, I am so honored to be mentioned on your beautiful blog! Your cake is just gorgeous. I love visiting - you always brighten my day. You are a blessing! Happy Blue Monday!

Unknown said...

Hey thanks so much for posting that delicious looking cake and the link to another great recipe blog!

Tamara
http://hisperfectpromises.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Stopping by via Blue Monday...

bookmarked this post...wonder how it will be with my favorite {blueberries}??? i'll give it a try both ways :D

~victoria~

Marly said...

This looks delicious. Can we have it with the sangria in the post below it? A lot of sweetness I'm sure. But seems like it would make for a lovely evening!

Unknown said...

Ok, I'm coming to your house for the week....all your strawberry recipes have looked so incredible!! Hope your 4th of July was a good one!

Bits said...

Wow! This is simply mouth-watering! You made it so tempting!

Barbara said...

Mary, this looks delicious! Moist and summery. I love the way you made it in a pie pan.
(And thanks for sending us to Jen's blog!)

I was raised in a small town of 2000 people and I don't think it's changed all that much in all these years. The sign made me smile with memories!

Renée said...

Mary, your cake looks lovely. My strawberries are gone, but I've got a lot of peaches. I think I'll give it a whirl...thanks.

Vegetarian Yogini said...

Beautiful! still have strawberries in the fridge! I will try it since my cake is over:(

From the Kitchen said...

Mary and Martha--a perfect combination in the kitchen!

Best,
Bonnie

Carolyn Jung said...

This is a nice change from the usual rolling and cutting of dough for shortcakes. Much easier. And such a pretty presentation.

Susi's Kochen und Backen said...

What a pretty cake. It looks like it should be displayed at any bakery! It sounds delicious:o)

Jeannie said...

another delicious looking strawberry recipe! would love to give this a try.

Anonymous said...

Oh wow, this looks so heavely.. love Magpies comment, nad i agree!!!!!!

CinnamonChoc said...

hye!tq for the new recipe.anyway,im enjoying my weekend very much :) tq for always dropping by at my blog.appreciate u very much though.hugs! :)

Hearty Bakes said...

Hi Mary, thanks for dropping by my blog and left your sweet comments.
Your strawberry cake looks fruitilicious good and deli. Thanks for sharing~

Baking is my Zen...sweet nibbles for the soul said...

Looks like a keeper.

I also stopped by Jen's blog.

Thanks for sharing the luuuv!

Carmen

Anonymous said...

mmmm... this one sounds tasty. I love small-town, too. Happy Blue Monday, Mary.
~Karen

Angie's Recipes said...

This strawberry cake looks extraordinary pretty and delectable!

Salsa Verde said...

Looks fabulous and so flavoursome!!!
Love,
Lia.

scrambledhenfruit said...

More strawberry love! Our fresh season is over, but we can still get pretty decent ones in the grocery. I wonder if frozen would work...I have oodles of tasty berries in my freezer. It's always good to know you can put together something as tasty as that cake looks in a hurry! Thanks for sharing :)

Jann said...

I think this is just the perfect cake to have on hand for company! I am very much in to quick and easy "anything" these days.......sweets and I get along very well. I am certain I willl enjoy this with a hot cup of coffee! Thanks so much for stopping over to view my site!

The Chef In My Head said...

Great idea for the abundance of blackberries I have. I wonder how peaches would work? You are the queen of quick cakes!! Happy Day~LeslieMichele

Rita said...

Love the idea of making a cake with strawberries; I make one with blueberries, but is super! Martha, eat your heart out; Mary is cooking!
Rita

Ana Powell said...

I have turned blue for not been able to have a slice of your awesome strawberry cake.
Lovely clicks ♥

Joyce said...

Easy and slow to stale are two good things for a hot summer day of baking. Thanks for sharing.
Joyce

Kim, USA said...

Oh my this look very yummy!


BM~Peacock

Faith said...

I love Jen's blog too -- she's such a sweetheart! This cake is beautiful, Mary...absolutely perfect for summer.

Rachana said...

That strawberry cake looks incredibily yumm!!! I would love to have a piece now :-)

M @ Betty Crapper said...

I wonder what would happen if you use less sugar to make it less sweet. In any case, if you don't want any more send it over.

Claudia said...

Oh Mary - that does look scrumptious. I am hoping to make it to the strawberry patch this week and wehn I do - this will be on the menu.

Adventures in Domestic Cooking said...

This looks perfect! And a perfect summer treat!

Cindy said...

Now, that looks fabulous. I will give it a try; I know my family will love it!

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Mary, this look delicious. I was a bit disappointed with the strawberries I bought for July 4. Maybe it matches the crummy weather we have been having.

I am so impressed/delighted for you in the amazing amount of comments that you receive. How fun. You are a faithful commentor - is this how you built up such a following? (and your delicious recipes, of course.)

Fondly,
Glenda

cocoa and coconut said...

thanks for your comment at my blog, i am so flattered! you have an amazing blog yourself and such a delicious abundance of great recipes. will give them a go sometime...oh and i'll defintely be back to check up on your recipes.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Sounds so good. I think strawberries are still available for a bit longer by me, so some sort of strawberry treat ought to be baked.

Eileen said...

Looks delicious! I am adding this one to my recipe book. :)

Chef Dennis Littley said...

what a beautiful strawberry cake!! How good it must taste!! we need to use those beautiful fresh strawberries while we can!

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

yummy and cute post...
love the look of it.

CIN&BUD said...

Gotta try and hope you will follow my blog too at www.dessertexotics.blogspot.com

Rue said...

This is great - we are smack in the middle of strawberry season - so I'm going to try this one!

Rue said...

This is great - we are smack in the middle of strawberry season - so I'm going to try this one!

Chats the Comfy Cook said...

I keep looking for recipes to bake with strawberries. I hope to make this one, this week.

CaSaundraLeigh said...

It's always good to have various strawberry recipes on hand--especially since strawberries can go bad so fast. I love the sounds of this cake--and so few ingredients that I already have on hand!

D. Jean Quarles said...

I love that it's easy to put together. Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to try it out.

CailinMarie said...

I love visiting your blog. You have the most fabulous recipes! And 10 minutes did you say? wow! but what is pearled sugar may I ask?

Diana's Cocina said...

Lovely presentation ~ easy and tasty is my kind of cake.

Cherine said...

This cake is just fabulous!!

Katy said...

Mary, I will surely have to give this one a try. I love just about strawberry anything, and in a cake, well you have won my heart!

My Little Space said...

You're right about the cake. I too think its quite sweet and its best to keep in the refridgerator. Have a nice day!
Regards, Kristy

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