Ever since I can remember I have seen that Valentine’s Day is always associated with strawberries. I don’t know whether it is the shape of the strawberry that almost resembles a heart or it’s just because they will be abudant in February.
By Edith
A cherokee legend, however, has it that there was a quarrel between the first man and woman (not necessarily Adam and Eve) and the man spoke harsh words to his wife. In anger, she stormed off. Feeling guilty the man tried to catch her, but in vain. He implored the Creator to slow her down. The Creator threw other berries in her path, but she didn’t notice these as she was extremely angry. Finally, the Creator threw strawberries on the path and the woman noticed and began picking a basket of strawberries for the man. While she was picking up the strawberries, the man caught up with her and all was forgiven. There is even a day for strawberries and it’s on February 26.
Strawberries can be eaten fresh with cream, they can be covered in chocolate for a sweet treat, frozen and blended into a smoothie or baked in a cake.
Today, I explore one of the best ways to enjoy your strawberries. I have always said that I have a weakness for cheesecake. Sometimes when I think of a cheesecake, especially a lemon meringue cheesecake I get weak in my knees and my heart starts pounding. So, this week I also do a combination of foods. This week, I combine cheesecake with strawberry cake, making a strawberry cheesecake cake creation. It’s for those rare moments when you are asked if you want a strawberry cake or a cheesecake and you can’t seem to make up your mind. It’s as tough a question as asking President Donald Trump whether he wants to go to war with North Korea or with Russia, it’s a tricky decision to make if you only have to choose just one.
So, strawberry cheesecake cake is for this week. I hope you make it soon and enjoy this Valentine’s Day with your one and only loved one.
Strawberry Cheesecake Cake
Vanilla Cheesecake
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l680g cream cheese at room temperature
l1 cup sugar
l3Tbs plain flour
l1 cup sour cream
l1 tbs vanilla essence
l4 eggs
Strawberry cake
l9 eggs, separated
l1.5 cups sugar
l3 cups self raising flour
l¾ cup cooking oil
l1 cup sour milk (Lacto, Maas etc)
l1 tbs strawberry essence
Cream cheese frosting
l450g cream cheese at room temperature
l3 cups cold fresh cream
l1 ¼ cups icing sugar
l1 tbs vanilla essence
l10 strawberries sliced
l3 strawberries cut in half
Method
In a large bowl using an eletric mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour together at low speed. Add the sour cream and vanilla essence until well-combined. Add eggs one at a time. Line the inside of a 23-cm baking tin with aluminiun foil. Try and get it as flat and smooth as possible. Pour the batter into the tin and place the tin in a larger baking tin. Add water about halfway up the inside tin. Bake in a heated oven at 160°C for one hour. Turn off the oven, but leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, crack open the oven door and leave cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven and chill in the fridge for about six hours.
For the cake:
Separate the eggs and whisk the eggwhites till they are still. In another bowl, add the eggyolks, sugar, strawberry essence, oil and milk and mix together. Add the sifted flour and fold in carefully. Pour into two 23-cm cake tine and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
For the frosting:
Add cream cheese to mixer bowl and beat till smooth. To another bowl, add the fresh cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence and whip until soft peaks begin to form. Whip in the cream cheese until soft peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
To assemble the cake:
Level the cakes. Place first layer of cake on serving plate, spoon in about one cup, frosting onto the cake and spread with a spatula. Lift the cheesecake with the foil and remove foil and place onto cake layer. Spread another cup of frosting on the cheesecake, then add the last cake layer. Add another cup of the frosting and smoothen the sides. Frost the outside of the cake. Place sliced strawberries at the bottom of the cake to form a strawberry border. The other strawberries cut in half should be placed at the centre of the cake. You can pipe fancy designs if there is any remaining cream cheese frosting.
Bon appetite!!!
