Secret Recipe Club-Quick StrawberryShortcakes

This month I joined in with the Secret Recipe Club hosted by Amanda from Amanda's Cookin'. Each month you are assigned a blog, make something from the blog and post it on a certain day, like today. The secret? You don't tell until posting day.

So, who was my blogger, well that would be Wendy, from The Weekend Gourmet. One of the great things about a bloghop is that you are introduced to blogs that you may not know exists, I had no idea about Wendy and I am so glad I do now! Go check her out, she has alot of great looking stuff!

I decided to make her Shortcut Strawberry Shortcakes, and is exactly what they are. I did change a couple things, just to make it a little simpler..isn't that what "shortcut" means? To make it more simpler?

Wanna join in on the fun for next month? Just go here to sign up!

Shortcut Strawberry Shortcakes
By: Wendy, at The Weekend Gourmet

1 container of strawberries, sliced
Sugar
1 container of Grands biscuits
Cool Whip

At least one hour before serving, mix your strawberries and sugar together and put into the refrigerator. I sprinkled my strawberries with about a tablespoon of vanilla sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and sprinkle the top of the biscuits with some more sugar, again I used vanilla sugar and bake the biscuits 8-10 minutes, or until done. Let cool slightly.

Split your biscuit, top with some of the strawberries and Cool Whip. There you have it! Easy Peasy!

50 Women Game Changers in Food-#4 Martha Stewart's Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream

Last week I came across Mary at One Perfect Bite, she and a few other bloggers have decided to tackle the list from Gourmet of the top 50 women chefs. For the next 46 weeks, I plan to go along with them. There are some on the list that I have not heard of, so I hope to learn a little bit along the way. I have missed the first three being 1-Julia Child, that is no surprise to me, 2-Alice Waters, and 3-Fannie Farmer. This leads us to #4, Martha Stewart.

Martha is one that you either love or hate. I like her, although she will not be the first one that I run to for a recipe as I have not had much luck with her recipes. Although this chocolate cake is a keeper. The one reason that I decided on this cake was because of the frosting, there is no powdered sugar, marshmallow cream takes the place of it and if you know me, I can't turn down anything that has marshmallow in it.

Next week: M.F.K. Fisher

Wanna see more of Martha:

Mary-One Perfect Bite

Val-More than burnt toast

Taryn-Have Kitchen will Feed

Susan-The Spice Garden

Claudia-A seasonal Cook in Turkey

Heather-Girlichef

Miranda-Mangoes and Chutney

Jeanette-Healthy Living

Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream Frosting

By: Martha Stewart

For the cake:

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 jars (7.5 oz each) marshmallow cream

2/3 cup cocoa

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 Tbsp vanilla

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Beat in vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions,alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape bowl as needed.

Pour batter into pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream:

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and marshmallow cream until fluffy. Beat in cocoa, chocolate and vanilla.

Place 1 layer on platter and spread top with 1 cup buttercream. Place the second layer on top and frost entire cake with remaining buttercream.