Monday, June 8, 2009

Happy Birthday Jean!

We had great fun celebrating Jean's birthday yesterday.  The weather cooperated so we met Keely and Damon at Butchart Gardens in the afternoon and enjoyed the blossoming roses.  Then we had a lovely dinner at Mom's along with Dad, Marna, Nin and even Emily, who's up visiting all week. 


Blue Poppies en route to the Japanese Garden


This strawberry-banana cake comes from my favourite baking book, In the Sweet Kitchen; it's easy, fresh and not overly sweet.

Cake:
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups mashed banana (about 3)
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sour cream or buttermilk

Cream butter and sugar, then mix in egg, vanilla and banana.  Add half the dry ingredients, then the sour cream/buttermilk, then the rest of the dry.  Divide batter between two greased/floured 8" pans and bake at 350 for about half an hour.

Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 - 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
vanilla
1 quart strawberries

Cream butter and cream cheese, then add icing sugar to taste and vanilla.  Place one cake layer on cake plate and spread on a layer of frosting.  Cut about half the strawberries in thirds from hull to tip and arrange on top of frosting in a single layer.  Then place the second layer on top and ice entire cake.  Decorate cake with remaining strawberries as desired!

Serves 10-12

No comments: