This delicious pink cake is pure strawberry-on-strawberry goodness, with fresh strawberry puree in the batter and frosting for an intense strawberry flavor!

​As you know, I really prefer cooking to baking but I wanted to make a Valentine's Day cake for my valentine of 25 years.  She loves basil; she will put pesto on everything!  And I love pretty, so. . . what's prettier than a pink cake, right?  Let’s combine the two and we have the Strawberry Basil Cake!

​Strawberries and basil pair perfectly in this luscious sweet and savory cake.  I thought this would make a beautiful Valentine's Day cake but turns out, it's a beautiful any day cake.  The best part is there is no jello for that strawberry flavor; it comes from fresh strawberries pureed and cooked down for a more intense strawberry blast. Oh, and the frosting . . . well you'll just have to taste it for yourself.  

Ingredients
For the cake
2 ¾ cups cake flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
10 tbsps cold butter, cubed
5 egg whites, room temperature
¾ cup milk, room temperature
½ cup reduced strawberry puree (see below for ingredients and directions)
2 tsps vanilla extract
¼ cup peanut oil (you can substitute canola or vegetable)
Red food coloring (optional)
 
For the puree
1½ pounds strawberries, stems removed
⅛ cup fresh basil chopped
 
For the frosting
½ cup strawberry puree, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature 
3 ½ cups powdered sugar, a little more or less
1 tsp vanilla extract
Red food coloring (optional)
 
Directions
Strawberry Puree
Add fresh strawberries to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often until reduced by half and thick.  Take half a cup out and set aside.  This will be used in the frosting.   Add the basil to the remaining puree, stir and place in the refrigerator until ready for use.
 
Cake
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans; set aside.
 
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to your mixing bowl if using a stand mixer or a big bowl if using a hand mixer and combine well.  Then add the chilled butter slowly, mixing on medium-low speed until crumbs form. 
​
Next, in a separate bowl whisk together the egg whites, milk, strawberry puree (from the refrigerator), vanilla and oil. With the mixer on low, and add half of the wet ingredients, turn mixer to medium speed and mix until thick, scraping down the sides of the bowl. If you are using food coloring add it at this point. I used 3 drops for very light pink.  Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until well combined.  Remember to scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.
 
Distribute the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until done. Let cool completely before frosting.
 
Strawberry Buttercream
Beat butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy, if using the stand mixer be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.  Add 1 cup powdered sugar into butter and mix until combined. Beat in the strawberry puree and vanilla, and then keep adding the remaining powdered sugar until desired consistency.  I don’t like my frosting too thick so I added about 3 ¼ cups.  For a more firm frosting, keep adding more powdered sugar.  Add food coloring for desired color if you are using, I put 4 drops in. 
 
When cakes are cooled, place one layer of cake on a serving plate. Top with approximately 1 cup of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layer, adding the buttercream on top and pushing it down the sides.  Using a cake spatula or a butter knife, go around the sides and smooth it.  I am not artist when it comes to decorating cakes; I just try to make them look pretty!  So you can get as fancy as you like here. 

​No matter what it looks like when you are done though, its tastes amazing.  So Mangialicious!

​Ahh the peanut butter sandwich cookie.  Two delicious peanut butter cookies with a sweet smooth filling.  What else can I say here?  You can taste them already, right :)  Okay so there are a few steps to go through, might take a minute to make them, but you will be very happy when you are done.  This may or may not be my second batch . . . we may have polished off the first batch before photos were taken, just saying.

Go ahead, you can smile :)

​Ingredients:
3/4 cup  flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp turbinado sugar
2/3 cup natural peanut butter
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
 
Filling:
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup powdered sugar
 
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F
 
Place the oats on a cutting board and chop them into small pieces.  Put the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
 
In a separate bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until completely smooth.  Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
 
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.  Scoop about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it into a ball, arrange 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Using the bottom of a glass or small pan, gently press down on each ball to slightly flatten.
 
Bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove from over and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
To make the Filling:
In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the peanut butter, honey and powdered sugar together.
 
Do the same as you did for the cookies here, spoon about 1 tbsp of the filling out and roll into a ball, place it on the flat side (bottom) of a cookie then place another cookie on top, flat side to filling, push down gently until the filling goes to the edges.

​Now pour yourself a big glass of milk and Mangialicious.  Keep cookies covered, no need to refrigerate, unless you don't eat them all in four days, then move them to the refrigerator!  

Did you know you could make ganache, cool it and then whip it?!  Me either!  Now that I do though this might be one of my go to frostings.  There is no butter, which means I do not have to keep whatever I frost with it in the refrigerator and worry about it drying out.  Yay!  Also if you really don't like sweet frostings, this is great for you.  And speak about easy, all you do is melt, whip and enjoy!
 
Ingredients:
2 C. dark chocolate chips (I use 70% Cacao)
1 C. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. brewed espresso
1/2 C. powdered sugar
 
Instructions:
In the microwave using a microwave-proof bowl, melt the chocolate chips and whipping cream together.  Stir until smooth.  Be careful not to over melt.  Do this by melting 20 seconds at a time.  Stir, 20 seconds, stir, 20 seconds.  It should take about 3 - 4 times.
 
Place the bowl in the fridge for 1 hour or until you can spoon some out and it keeps it's form.  You’ll know your chocolate ganache is cooled enough when you can scoop out some and it keeps it’s shape.
 
Spoon the ganache into your stand mixer, add the vanilla extract and the espresso and using the whisk attachment, whip until stiff.  It should take 4-5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and whip just until the powdered sugar is combined.
 
Pipe onto your cooled cupcakes.  What I noticed when I was frosting these Dark Chocolate Banana Espresso Cupcakes, is that you need to work timely.  This is chocolate and if your hand is on the piping bag too long it starts to melt a little bit.  So I only put a little frosting in the bag at a time. 
 
You do not need to refrigerate this frosting.  I left mine out, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 4 days, then sadly the cupcakes I put it on were all gone  :(  I am sure you will find this frosting Mangialicious!!