Monday, June 20, 2016

Strawberry Sheet Cake



I had house guests this past weekend. When I was thinking about a dessert, I had berries on the brain. And when I found beautiful strawberries at the store, I knew what I would do—sort of. I envisioned a cake piled with strawberries. In my mind, it seemed fabulous.

But when I came home and started looking through recipes, I couldn't find exactly what I had imagined. So I used a recipe I knew I liked for the cake part. But as I started the strawberry part, I ran into some dilemmas.

I didn't want the heaping strawberries on top to fall off when the cake was cut. Easy enough. I could use corn starch or gelatin to hold them in place. But I didn't want it to be like strawberry jello on top of the cake, either. At this point I wondered why I do this to myself. I could have just settled for a standard recipe. But I forged ahead.

I cut half of the strawberries into small pieces so they would fill in between the larger pieces. Then, because I didn't want it to be like jello, I used corn starch to thicken the structure. But it dawned on me that cornstarch would not give them that beautiful glistening top that was in the image in my mind. There were a few alternatives on that one, but I decided to do something daring—I added one packet of gelatin to the strawberries. Like magic, it immediately made them glisten! Yay!

Now there is one drawback to my gelatin solution. The pretty glaze disappears around day three. It's a big cake, but you won't have much left by day three anyway, and the not-so-shiny leftovers taste every bit as good!


Strawberry Sheet Cake
Cake:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mace
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature or softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and mace in a bowl and set aside. 
Cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in each egg. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk and vanilla. Bake 25 - 30 minutes. It should be lightly golden on top and a cake tester should come out clean. While it bakes, prepare the strawberries.
Strawberries:
2 pounds strawberries (divided)
2 cups sugar (divided)
1/3 cup corn starch
1 1-ounce packet unflavored gelatin
Hull and slice 1 pound of the strawberries. Slice in quarters and then slice into pieces from the end to the top. Combine with 1 cup of the sugar in a pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about five minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of the liquid by draining or spooning. While the cake is still warm, poke holes into it with a wooden skewer. Pour 1/4 cup of the liquid over it slowly (if you do it too fast it will run off to the sides).
Hull and slice the remaining pound of strawberries.  Quarter large strawberries and half the small ones. Add them to the berries in the pot, along with the remaining 1 cup of sugar and cornstarch. Stir to combine. Cook one minute while stirring. Whisk gelatin into the remaining 1/4 cup of berry liquid and add to the pot. Stir to cover everything. Pour all the strawberries and juice onto the cake. If you like, turn the strawberries so the curved side is up. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
Cream:

1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the cream until it begins to take shape. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until it holds a soft peak.


Bake cake.

Chop 1 pound strawberries. Halve, quarter, slice.

Cook with sugar.

Poke some holes and add 1/4 cup of the juice.

Not glossy!
Whisk gelatin into 1/4 cup juice.

Now they're glossy!






I'm giving away a copy of THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA today! 
Please leave a comment below with your email address to enter.
Good luck!

88 comments:

  1. BEAUTIFUL summer dessert cake; and the book sounds awesome! EMS591@aol.com

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  2. Yum, Yum, Yum!
    Strawberries, Cake & Whipped Cream = :D

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  3. Yum, I love strawberries, my favourite summer fruit. I don't think this cake would last here long enough for the glossy glaze to disappear, lol! grace dot koshida at gmail dot com

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  4. That cake looks really good.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  5. That looks amazing!! And just this past weekend I found strawberries at the local farmer's market.
    harbingerdc(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Fresh!!
    Sjgolding@sbcglobal.net

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  7. The cake looks really yummy!
    a.connolley@gmail.com

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  8. That looks and sounds delicious! I can't wait to try it!
    ioncookbooks@yahoo.com

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  9. That cake looks so yummy!! Love strawberries!! This book sounds wonderful!
    jawdance@yahoo.com

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  10. Love strawberries!

    rhondajgothier@yahoo.com

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  12. Desserts and mystery stories go together. Need to try your strawberry dessert. Would love to win. I keep having to delete the post then re post because I forget my email. sueannames@gmail.com

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  13. This cake sounds delicious! dawnmariekelley(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. Looks Delicious! rackylemaire(at)gmail(dot)com

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  15. Looks Delicious! rackylemaire(at)gmail(dot)com

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  16. Sounds delicious. sable677 at yahoo dot com

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  17. It's an upgraded strawberry shortcake.
    Nice job.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  18. That cake looks yummy. The book is looking really great also. cochrandcr(at)gmail(dot)com

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  19. Looks delicious!! Cant wait to bake it!! arglock@gmail.com

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  20. That looks so delicious!
    karen(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com

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  21. Nothing better than fresh strawberries!! Looks yummy...

    sandie.white@live.com

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  22. Nothing better than fresh strawberries!! Looks yummy...

    sandie.white@live.com

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  23. OH my gosh. I am going to have to try this. Lady(dot)Janel@hotmail(dot)com

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  24. I have been making all kinds of desserts with my strawberries from my garden this year. This looks yummy. I love Krista Davis's Diva series.

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  25. For Father's Day, my mother-in-law made strawberry crepes - with strawberry sauce. Perfect! cheers@marjimmanor.com

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  26. Love this series I just found. jrparkfan@hotmail.com

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  27. Cake looks good!!
    dcriley8409@aol.com

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  28. Strawberries are one of our favorite fruits along with peaches. So will definitely be giving this one a try. And would love to read the Diva book. thanks for both the recipe and the chance to read the book. Della at deepotter@peoplepc.com

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  29. You can never have too many ways to use strawberries. Looks delicious. Congrats on the latest release!
    sallycootie@gmail.com

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  30. Hmm the cake looks tasty but with only two of us I think we would still be eating it in three weeks not three days! So I think I will stick with good old strawberries and cream :D
    dragonsteeluk@gmail.com

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  31. We are just starting to get strawberries in our Farmer's Markets---I must try this recipe.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  32. Looks delicious! Thank you for offering the giveaway, lilflynracer at msn.com

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  33. The cake looks delicious! Vickiela3@hotmail.com

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  34. I love cakes with strawberries. Yum!! pgenest57@aol.com

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  35. Hmm, wonder if I should add some rhubarb for my hubby. Yum! bobbipad@gmail.com

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  36. I lived in England for 2 years and your cake reminds me of a typical High Tea treat called a cream tea. A luscious biscuit/cake with strawberries and clotted cream. Would love to have a nice cuppa with the cake while reading your new book.

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  37. I lived in England for 2 year and your cake reminds me of a typical High Tea treat called a cream tea. A luscious biscuit/cake with strawberries and clotted cream. Would love to have a nice cuppa with the cake while reading your new book.

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  38. What a perfect cake for summer. Thanks for the giveaway. Pattie.tierney@gmail.com

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  39. dammad58@gmail.com Good luck everyone

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  40. The Strawberry Sheet Cake sounds perfect for the summertime. Thank you for the recipe and the chance to win (I love the Domestic Diva series). myrifraf (at) gmail (dot) com

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  41. Definitely going to try this cake. Looks delicious
    debbie.erickson14@gmail.com

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  42. Delectable cake which is ideal for the summer. Thanks for this great feature and giveaway. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  43. I love strawberries!-cannot wait to read the book as will! Thank you!! Cindy
    Cbalevre@ptd.net

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  44. Looks good pwtish171@gmail.com

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  45. Enticing cake. Love it. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  46. That cake sounds so good thanks for the recipe, I'm looking forward to reading this, thanks for the chance to win
    Penney penneyw(AT)sbcglobal(DOT)net

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  47. Thanks for the recipe! Would love to win this book!

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  48. This cake looks amazing! Thanks for the chance to win!
    awilcox1182@gmail.com

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  49. My daughter always loved strawberry cake. But I know better than to make this for her now. She just told me on Sat that she's getting back on track to lose some serious weight. So guess I'll make it for me!! LOL -- or, maybe not.
    donna {dot} durnell {at} sbcglobal {dot} net

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  50. That looks amazing and perfect for summer!
    bwilhoite87@gmail.com

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  51. The cake sounds amazing. Thanks for the recipe. jmhinton@psci.net

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  52. I love anything with strawberries and your cake is gorgeous -- it definitely would not last 3 days in our house! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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  53. I drooled over all the photos. Thanks for sharing it with us and thanks for the giveaway. doward1952@yahoo.com

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  54. The strawberry recipe looks awesome. I have some fresh strawberries in the freezer that I got from my local strawberry farm. Will have to try this recipe. I would LOVE to win a copy of the Diva Book!! I love those books, but haven't read this one yet. Thanks for the contest. Jamie Gillespie bentleyboy22@comcast.net

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  55. OMG! Strawberries! The perfect treat to accompany of cup of tea... Then sit back and read another Domestic Diva book? Priceless!
    kat8762@aol.com

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  56. Oh yum!!! I know what I'll be making for 4th of July weekend for my family!! 💖 Thank you
    Wynter33@gmail.com

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  57. Wow looks so good and what a perfect time to make this when there are just wonderful strawberries in the store. I would love to read and review on a few sites especially since it is a print copy. ptclayton2@aol.com

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  58. YUMM, strawberries and tea! kthomas@bajabb.com

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  59. Pat (patdupuy@yahoo.com)June 20, 2016 at 1:17 PM

    I love strawberry shortcake. This looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for your brain power dreaming this up!

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  60. Looks yummy!My daughter loves strawberry shortcake! jillybeans41@gmail.com

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  61. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  62. If the cake tastes as good as it looks it will be amazing. Looking forward to reading your new book. nancyb129@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Congratulations, Nancy! You are our winner!

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  63. Recipe look good! Can't wait to read the book. Thanks for the chance to win. Jlsxstitch @ nc.rr.com

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  64. Yummy! Thanks, Krista! I usually use an Angel Food cake with fresh strawberries, but I'll definitely try your sheet cake - perfect for summer, especially July 4! Nicole :-) nicolev.girldetective@gmail.com

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  65. Thanks for the recipe and the chance to win!

    salvatoresmom71@yahoo.com

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  66. I will be making this..

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  67. Great recipe. Zeta(at)iwon(dot)com

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  68. This recipe is to die for! Must try it. brichardson0056@yahoo.com

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  69. I love any recipe with strawberries. This one looks great. Thanks for the chance! Moonbay7399@gmail.com

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  70. The cake sounds yummy!
    Thanks for the giveaway! Love the Diva!
    MarshaMysteryreader@yahoo.com

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  71. I can hardly wait to try this strawberry cake recipe. Its making me hungry and I just had supper. Looking forward to reading your newest book. dbahn@iw.net

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  72. This cake looks amazing! I love strawberries and I to definitely have to try making this cake. Can't wait to read "The Diva Serves High Tea".

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  73. This cake looks amazing! I love strawberries and I to definitely have to try making this cake. Can't wait to read "The Diva Serves High Tea".

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  74. That cake looks delicious. utaker555@gmail.com

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  75. Love the book series! Going to try to make the cake too.
    stkate00@aol.com

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  76. Love this series and that cake looks so awesomely good!
    mjhopper at cox dot net

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  77. The cake looks and sounds delicious. I'm afraid I'd get impatient and eat all of the strawberries beforehand. lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  78. Looks delicious and not too terribly difficult! Thanks for sharing and the chance to win!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  79. Oh, yum!

    ElaineE246 at msn dot com

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  80. The cake sounds as good as your book. Rootseller55@gmail.com

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  81. The dessert looks really good. I would love to win your book! Thanks for the opportunity. crossxjo@hotmail.com

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  82. Love the series. Great to see a new book coming out.
    Margaret

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  83. Thank you...looks delicious to me. I am available to sample..just kidding. Please enter me in the contest.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  84. Love this series and can't wait for this one. Thank you for the opportunity to enter your giveaway. bhandy1661@hotmail.com

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  85. Oh my goodness, that looks yummy!! I just copied the recipe. I'd love to add this to my collection of this series. I know it will be good.
    bpwoodfield@gmail.com

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