One Saturday morning Mum wakes me up earlier than I prefer on Saturday’s. She requests my help making a cake for Aunt Robin’s birthday that we are celebrating later that evening. As soon as she says cake, I am out of bed and ready to help. As I stepped into the kitchen I could smell the fresh cake cooking in the oven. She hands me the strawberries and points to a spot on the counter where she has set up a cutting board and a slicer.
She tells me that she needs all the strawberries and kiwis sliced. She reminds me that as soon as I am done with the strawberries to put them in a sealed container and in the fridge. She goes to take a shower while I get to work. First, I scoop out the greens off the tops of the strawberries. Second, I start slicing. The way our slicer works is in a squishing motion, so I find slicing quite enjoyable. Squish, container, next, I repeat in my head. Once the strawberries are finished, I sneak a couple slices and pop them in my mouth. I close the container and pop them in the fridge. I reach for the kiwis and place them on the counter. I wash the slicer and grab the peeler from the kitchen drawer. First, I peeled; second, I sliced. I sneak a couple of slices of these for myself too. Just as soon as I go to toss them in my mouth, Mum’s bedroom door opens and we make eye contact. We both laugh and she grabs some for herself before putting them in the fridge as well. The oven dings. Mum grabs her oven mits and takes the cake out of the oven, it smells fantastic. She leaves it out to cool.
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I watch her as she mixes the frosting. As soon as she is finished she hands me the spatula to have for myself. Mum always gives me the extra frosting, which is my favorite part of helping her with cakes. I lick it clean. Cream cheese frosting immediately becomes my favorite frosting. After that, I sit down and eat a bowl of cereal. Mum steals a bite and goes to blow dry her hair. Once I am ready to go, Mum has already frosted and topped the cake. It looked perfect. I could not wait to eat it. We load it into the car and begin our journey to my aunt’s house. Her place is typically a 45-minute drive, so I have my Gameboy to keep me entertained while Mum drives.
We pulled up and could smell the burger patties sizzling on the grill from the backyard. Mum goes to put the cake in the fridge, I follow her inside and grab myself a soda. We walk out to the backyard and to no surprise see Aunt Robin grilling her own birthday burgers. Per her, only she could make them if they were going to be made right. We give each other hugs. Mum begins catching up and they start talking boring adult talk, so I slip myself back inside to snack on the baby carrots and chips I had spotted before. I use one hand to eat and the other to pet their sweet dog Taz. Not too long of being inside alone, comes the roaring noise of three ladies and the smell of burgers right off the grill. I jump up and we form a line at the end of the table and top our burgers to our choice. Aunt Robin is right about one thing, she can make a mean burger. We all finish them rather quickly and go for seconds.
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Once the last plate is taken to the sink and washed, I know the time has come, the moment I had been waiting for since I woke up that morning. My mouth waters at the memory of the taste of cream cheese frosting. Mum opens the fridge and places the cake on the counter. She cuts my aunt and herself a slice, while the rest of us serve ourselves. I hear both Mum and Aunt Robin making noises at their cakes and I know I am missing out. I cut myself a glorious slice of cake and nudge it over to fall onto my plate. I grabbed and fork and take a bite before I even sit down. One bite, and my hypothesis is confirmed, this indeed is the best cake on planet Earth. Twelve years later and it is always and I imagine always will be the cake I request for any special occasion.
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Strawberry Cheesecake Torte
CHENEY SHELTON
CHENEY SHELTON
Ingredients
1 pkg 16oz pound cake mix (plus ingredients to make the cake)
1/2 c water
1 pkg 3oz strawberry jello
1/4 c strawberry jam, seedless
1 lemon
1 pkg 8oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c cold milk
1 pkg 12oz cool whip, thawed
1 pkg 3.4oz cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling
1 kiwi, peeled, sliced and halved
1 c strawberris, hulled and sliced
1 pkg 16oz pound cake mix (plus ingredients to make the cake)
1/2 c water
1 pkg 3oz strawberry jello
1/4 c strawberry jam, seedless
1 lemon
1 pkg 8oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c cold milk
1 pkg 12oz cool whip, thawed
1 pkg 3.4oz cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling
1 kiwi, peeled, sliced and halved
1 c strawberris, hulled and sliced
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (I have a Pampered Chef Stoneware Bar Pan I use) Prepare cake mmix according to package directions; pour onto cookie sheet and spread evely. Bake 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Lift cake onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
2. In a small microwave safe bowl microwave water on high 1-2 minutes or until boiling. Add jello and stir until dissolved. Add jam and whisk until smooth.
3. Turn cake over and remove the parchment paper. Prick the cake all over with a fork (like you would a potatoe to bake it). Brush cake evenly with all but 2tbsp of jello mixture. Trim 1/4 inch around the edge of the cake (this isn't used for anything so I normally snack on it)Now cut cake crosswise into 3 equal pieces.
4. Zest the lemon and set zest aside. Juice the lemon to measure 2tbsps of juice. In a mixing bowl combine softened cream cheese and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Add milk and whisk again.
5. Spoon cool whip over cream cheese mixture but DO NOT MIX. Sprinkle with the pudding mix first then mix well. Mixture will be very thick.
6. Place one cake piece on desired serving plate, dry side down,then spread cream cheese mixture over moist side. (I use a cake decorator for this part) Repeat with two remaining cake pieces making to border look nice.
7. Slice kiwi; cut slices in half and arrange on top of cake. Place strawberries and reserved jello mixture in a small bowl and mix gently. (If jello mixture has set you can microwave it 5-10 seconds or until softened) Spoon strawberries over cake top and sprinkle with reserved lemon zest.
8. I know it sounds like a lot of work but the end result is more then worth it.
1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (I have a Pampered Chef Stoneware Bar Pan I use) Prepare cake mmix according to package directions; pour onto cookie sheet and spread evely. Bake 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Lift cake onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
2. In a small microwave safe bowl microwave water on high 1-2 minutes or until boiling. Add jello and stir until dissolved. Add jam and whisk until smooth.
3. Turn cake over and remove the parchment paper. Prick the cake all over with a fork (like you would a potatoe to bake it). Brush cake evenly with all but 2tbsp of jello mixture. Trim 1/4 inch around the edge of the cake (this isn't used for anything so I normally snack on it)Now cut cake crosswise into 3 equal pieces.
4. Zest the lemon and set zest aside. Juice the lemon to measure 2tbsps of juice. In a mixing bowl combine softened cream cheese and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Add milk and whisk again.
5. Spoon cool whip over cream cheese mixture but DO NOT MIX. Sprinkle with the pudding mix first then mix well. Mixture will be very thick.
6. Place one cake piece on desired serving plate, dry side down,then spread cream cheese mixture over moist side. (I use a cake decorator for this part) Repeat with two remaining cake pieces making to border look nice.
7. Slice kiwi; cut slices in half and arrange on top of cake. Place strawberries and reserved jello mixture in a small bowl and mix gently. (If jello mixture has set you can microwave it 5-10 seconds or until softened) Spoon strawberries over cake top and sprinkle with reserved lemon zest.
8. I know it sounds like a lot of work but the end result is more then worth it.