Family Food Faves

Strawberry shortcake is my all-time favorite dessert. In my opinion, it is best made with warm shortcake, lots of strawberries, vanilla ice cream and a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top! My mother-in-law and I both wanted homemade strawberry shortcake for our birthday dessert but I was too lazy to make it. Jimmy had an awesome suggestion - homemade lemon cake topped with fresh strawberries. The lemon-strawberry combination sounded so tasty, so I took a little help from the store!

Lemony Strawberry Shortcake
Lemon Creme Cake (I bought it pre-sliced in the Wal-Mart Bakery - it looks like pound cake)
Fresh strawberries, sliced, with just a sprinkle of sugar to help make them juicy
Vanilla ice cream (the good kind, like Breyer's homemade vanilla)

In a bowl, simply top a piece (or 2) of sliced lemon cake with a heaping spoonful of strawberries and a scoop of ice cream. Oh so good and NO BAKING REQUIRED!


If you prefer to make your cake from scratch, this is a really yummy recipe from Barefoot Contessa.

Lemon Cakes

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk,
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.