Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake at Topsail Island

strawberry cake ecstasy

I am not a baker.

I don’t own a stand mixer, or even a hand mixer. And I don’t particularly like to measure or deal with the chemistry of having ingredients at specific temperatures before putting them together (softened butter, room temperature this, cold that) or fretting when a cake won’t come out of a pan, or a cake collapses. Or I get curious, open the oven door to peak, and ruin the cake. Give me a break; there are just too many particulars.

However, my mom can flat out bake a cake: Pound Cake, Chocolate Sheetcake (famous), Brownstone Front Cake, Hummingbird Cake and her own Strawberry Cake.

Discovering this no-fail recipe may get me at least partially on track to becoming a master cake baker. I give you… Paula Deen’s Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake. It’s essentially a measure-free jazzed up box cake.

what you'll need

Cake Ingredients

1 box white cake mix (18.25 oz)
1 box strawberry Jello (3 oz)
about 15 oz of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 package cream cheese, softened (8 oz)
about 10 oz. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 cups confectionerss sugar
Fresh strawberries for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare two round, 9-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
2. Combine cake mix, Jello, thawed strawberries (pureed if you want to wash another appliance), eggs, oil and water. Stir until smooth. Divide between the two pans and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

cake batter

3. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove and cool on wire racks.

cake layers

* A little trick I’ve picked up from my mom: Wrap the cake layers in aluminum foil and freeze until you’re ready to ice the cake and eat. A slightly warm cake can melt frosting away, but freezing the cake will not remove the moistness and it will help the cake keep its form.

4. Mix butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add 1/4 cup thawed strawberries (again purred if you want to wash another appliance) and vanilla extract. Add confectioners’ sugar in small batches until smooth.

Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries if you’re feeling like a hostess with the mostest. I took this beauty to Topsail Island for a 4th of July celebration with friends and the Cozort family.

i wish i had a pretty cake stand now

While at Topsail, Captain Jack and Kathy kept us well fed with the famously awesome Low Country Boil (crab legs, clams, shrimp, kielbasa, red potatoes, corn on the cob and spinach), old fashion pork BBQ, hamburgers/hotdogs and Texas Caviar. Many of the recipes feature Captain Jack’s very own spice rub, which can be purchased at a local market on Topsail Island. Or if you have connections, you can go straight to the distributor.

captain jack steers our sunset cruise

crab legs and no-scrimp shrimp

clams, kielbasa, spinach, potatoes

homemade q and coleslaw for wimbledon finals

Foodstalkin’ with my feet ten feet off of Beale

Last weekend, I headed to Memphis with my college friends to celebrate Taylor’s last hurrah as a single lady. While the main focus of this trip was not eating (although what trip of mine isn’t focused on food?), I managed to sneak in several really good meals. Here are some of my favorites:

Thursday night we celebrated Caroline and Kate’s birthdays with a yummy homemade meal of grilled chicken thighs served over sauteed spinach and cheese grits. It was so delicious- in fact, I’m thinking about attempting to recreate it this weekend. We finished the meal with the cutest cake ever. I’m so mad I didn’t get a picture of the whole cake, because it was freakin’ adorable. It was the Cindy Lou Who cake from Muddy’s Bake Shop. I googled the bakery name last night to find the website, and ended up spending way too much time reading through the owner’s blog. It reminded me how much I would love to do something like open a bakery! Maybe one day…

Cindy Lou Who

Friday night we capped off KB’s art show with drinks and bar food at Bardog Tavern. Most of the table had some form of the grilled cheese. I got mine with tomato bisque. There really is nothing better than a grilled cheese, in my opinion. It was especially good on this super chilly night. The tomato bisque was thicker than most, which I liked. It was served in a mug with big croutons to sop up that sweet nectar.

Mmm mmm good

Saturday night was the main event. With hot pink wigs on our heads, we headed over to Spindini’s. We got some pretty hilarious looks as we walked into the restaurant. We started off with the Tuscan Butter- which tasted just like an appetizer served at the now defunct River Market and Deli- and also the fried calamari. The Tuscan Butter consisted of marscapone, goat cheese, and marinara, and is served with toast rounds. I remember that the River Market and Deli appetizer was a spread of marinara and montrachet cheese. They taste so similar to each other.

Doesn't look too appetizing, but looks are deceiving

For the main course, the group split four different pizzas (and it was totally overkill- we had way too much food due to my eyes being much bigger than my stomach). Our pizzas, in order of my preference:

1. Lobster Pizza

2. Margherita Pizza (didn’t get a picture of this one, but I’m sure you get the idea)

3. White Pizza

4. Pesto Pizza

The lobster was so good. I loved the bacon and aioli on top. It was definitely unique, but not nearly as heavy as it sounds.

The margherita was pretty standard- how can you go wrong with the classic?

Loved the arugula on the white pizza.

The pesto was a little much. There were too many red onions hanging out.

There were a couple of meals that I didn’t get to take a picture of, but that were good nonetheless. When we all arrived on Thursday, we grabbed lunch at Huey’s. They have good burgers and a fun atmosphere.

This was the first time I’ve been to Memphis without getting BBQ. Nuts! For the record, I prefer Rendezvous (I think I have only had Corky’s and Rendezvous though). Let the debate begin…

Foodstalkers On Tour: Nashville

I just returned from Country Music City where I attended Lisa and Derek’s wedding (Congratulations!). Turns out Nashville boasts much more than in-love fiddle players, boots, karaoke and The Opry. The food was indeed a delight. I will share my meals, day by day.

Lunch, Day 1: Provence, Hillsboro Village (near Vanderbilt)
This was a real treat. The bakery is part of Nashville Originals, a group of locally owned, high calliber restaurants. The cafe is French-inspired, featuring a variety of large baskets of freshly baked bread, a cooler full of sweet tarts and cakes, a selection of pre-made salads, sandwiches, frittatas and cheeses, plus lots of coffee options.

cute window display

I ordered a lunch special: Tuna Melt + Curried Carrot Soup. The tuna salad was incredible (capers in the recipe–my favorite), topped with gruyere on bakerymade multigrain bread toasted in a panini griller. And the soup–wow–smooth and spicy with lots of ginger! It was so tastey I tracked down this recipe so I could replicate those flavors.

tuna melt + curried carrot soup

And I couldn’t pass on getting a sweet treat for the road: a Cherry and Cream Cheese Pastry. I love a good dessert, but I don’t normally turn to heavily breaded pastries to get my fix. But this bread looked sweet and irresistible. And it was everything I dreamed it would be. I feel inspired to try this out.

cherry & cream cheese pastry

Dinner, Day 1: Sunset Grill, Hillsboro Village
I was attracted to this restaurant’s menu for its use of common southern favorites, with a sophisticated twist. The kitchen uses local, sustainable and organic products when possible. It’s also a part of the Nashville Originals group.

I started with Oysters Two Ways. The first pair of raw oysters was topped with a cocktail style sauce, heavy on the firey horseradish (my grandfather used to say that would make hair grow on your tongue!). The second pair was dolloped with creme fraiche, a golden caviar and lemon rind. Squeeze lemon juice over the top and throw it back (or eat delicately). Mmm. I wanted four more after that.

oysters two ways

For my entree, I had the Fudge Farms Pork Roast– “slow braised in milk with potato-shallot ravioli and cider glazed parsnips, carrots and onions finished with fresh herb jus.” The pork was so tender it just flaked apart in perfect morsels. The jus was to die for–sweet and herby. The ravioli surpised me, concealed beneath the meat and veggies. They were tender little pockets of joy in your mouth!

nice jus. seriously nice jus.

Breakfast, Day 2: Pancake Pantry, Hillsboro Village
We actually tried to go here on day 1 for brunch, but at 11 there was a long line out the door. Driving by as late as 2:30, there was still a line. But, a line means people will stand and wait with a hefty appetite because it’s worthwhile. So, we got up early the next day to be at the door a touch after 8. I was craving country ham and grits, but thought I should try the pancakes to say that I did. Tennessee Country Ham = no joke. ‘Twas a big slab of meat. Some fantastic pancakes graced the table as well: a stack of blueberry and a stack of pecan. Besides plain maple syrup there was an extra rich cinnamon cream sauce. That’s what I call gilding the lily.

Would I return to this place? Probably. If it were more convenient. The 7am wake-up call was worth it because we did not wait in line. But I’m not convinced the food was worth the trouble. I’d rather not fight 200 hungry people at a single trough. Going across the street to Provence was a better option at a more reasonable, rested hour.

Tennessee country ham is the size of the state of TN.

a stack with blueberries

pecan w/ bacon

plaincakes

Lunch, Day 2: Bar-B-Cutie’s

Holy pig. The words, “This is the best barbecue I’ve ever had” did come out of my mom’s mouth. And I very well may agree. There were some excellent orders at the table, including the Memphis BBQ sandwich and the beef brisket.

I selected the pulled pork plate with sides of baked beans, coleslaw and cornbread. Just thinking about that meal makes me hungry as I write this. The pork was slow-smoked and served dry, but there a number of sauces on the table to dress up the meat. I tossed it with a touch of hot pepper vinegar and the mild tomato-based sauce. The cornbread was served like little pancakes, perfect for sopping up sauce or building a perfect bite of bbq, slaw and sauce. This is a don’t miss if you’re in the Nashville area, or any of Bar-B-Cutie’s franchise locations throughout the southeast. Pig out!

my pulled pork plate

the memphis bbq sandwich topped with slaw, pickles and bbq sauce

Dinner, Day 2: Wedding Cake

Pretty. And delicious. Strawberries mixed among layers of chocolate and vanilla with a whipped icing.

cake and couple

Yeehaw that was a heck of a trip to Country Music City. Food + traveling = the best! LG, I say Foodstalkers needs to go on tour more often.

Food baby

Let us celebrate the joyous occasion of the birth of my first blog. My food baby.

It is starting to get chilly here in Texas (translation: 75 degrees), so I celebrated this past weekend by turning the A/C wayyyyy down, and making some good ole fashioned fall comfort food. First up was SmittenKitchen’s mom’s apple cake.

Pretty, huh?

I followed the recipe all the way through, besides going with a different variety of apple (dang McIntosh were expensive!). I did not use my mixer, although I would suggest that it be used- unless you are looking to incorporate your arms workout for the day into your baking. The batter is pretty thick until you add the eggs. Recipe can be found here.

Next up was one of my old standbys. Creamy Tomato Balsamic soup from Cooking Light. Also known as, the sole reason why I want an immersion blender. I pretty much love anything that has balsamic in it. Beware: you will need a good potscrubbing setting on your dishwasher for those pyrex dishes. That caramelization will do a number on them. Here is the recipe.

And what goes with tomato soup? Grilled cheese please. It’s even better on Central Market sourdough with real Wisconsin cheddar.

Stay tuned for more. This will be another ghost weekend of spending too much money at Central Market AND a potentially life changing brunch on Sunday. Foodie fun ahead!