Cherry Cake With Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

 

I hardly ever make cakes. I make the obligatory birthday cakes for everyone in the fam, but other than that, not so much. Not because I can't or don't like them, but if I'm making a dessert, I usually choose something else. I came across this recipe on Pinterest and decided it would be good do something different. So I tried it.

 

Ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, salt, butter, shortening, sugar, maraschino cherry juice, whole milk, almond extract, maraschino cherries and egg whites.

Cream butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Fluffy :)

Measure out milk, almond extract and cherry juice into measuring cup.

Mix in flour mixture and cherry mixture alternating wet and dry ingredients. 

Cut up cherries.

Add to batter.

Whip egg whites until stiff.

Fold egg whites into batter.

Done :)

Grease and flour cake pans.

Pour batter evenly into cake pans and put in oven to bake.

Cream together butter and cream cheese with half of the powdered sugar. 

Add cherry juice.

Mix the remaining powder sugar.

Done.

Baked and cooled cakes.

Cut the rounded tops off of the cakes.

Cake surgery...frosting, STAT!

Frost bottom layer completely.

Put second cake on top.

Frost top layer.

Garnish with left over cherries.

Enjoy!

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

CAKE:

3 cups sifted cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

16 maraschino cherries cut into eighths

5 egg whites, room temperature, stiffly beaten

 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans, set aside. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl, set aside. Cream butter, shortening and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Measure out milk, almond extract and cherry juice into a liquid measuring cup. Beginning and ending with dry ingredients, alternately add the wet and dry to the creamed mixture. Beat well after each addition. Fold in the cherries. Stiffly beat egg whites in a separate bowl. Fold in 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites until mixture is well combined. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool cakes on wire baking racks for about 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and place on racks. Let cool until room temperature. In the meantime, make the frosting.

 

FROSTING:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice

6 cups powdered sugar

 

DIRECTIONS:

Cream together cream cheese and butter with half of the powdered sugar. Add the cherry juice.. Mix in enough of the remaining powdered sugar to get taste and consistency desired.

 

Even out the tops of the cooled cakes my cutting off the rounded top with a serrated knife. Frost the bottom layer completely. Add the top layer and frost. Garnish with remaining cherries. Enjoy!

 

I got this recipe from laurassweetspot.com

 

The Ultimate Fish Tacos With Pink Chili Mayo And Mango Radish Salsa

 

I haven't made these tasty little tacos in a long time. These take a little bit of time, but I promise it's is BEYOND worth it :) This radish mango salsa is to die for...ridiculous. I like to make the pink chili mayo and mango radish salsa ahead of time. It's a real time saver and very easy. They keep well in the fridge and they're ready right when you need them!

Ingredients for the radish mango salsa: radishes, mangos, red onion, cilantro, limes, olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Put diced radishes in food processor. (I use my ninja for this)

Dice mangos

Throw mangos in food processor. 

 

Add chopped onions. 

Add cilantro on top of onions

Add chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Pulse in food processor. You can make it as chunky or as smooth as you'd like. I usually like mine a little chunkier than I did it this time.

Ingredients for pink chili mayo: chipotles in adobo, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, salt & pepper

Put chili and adobo in food processor and blend until smooth. 

Add remaining ingredients and blend.

Done :)

Ingredients for fish: mahi mahi, flour, eggs, panko, salt & pepper.

Cut mahi mahi into strips.

Dredge fish strips in flour.

Coat in egg/water mixture.

Then into panko.

And fry!

All done frying...so pretty.

 

Oh yeah!!! Mmmm

 

Get tortillas ready.

Spread pink chili mayo.

Add fish

Add chopped cabbage

Add sprigs of cilantro

Top with radish mango salsa...

And garnish with lime wedges.

YUUUMMMMM.

INGREDIENTS:

MANGO RADISH SALSA:

2 limes

2 mangos, diced

4-5 radishes, diced 

1 red onion, diced

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1/4 c. olive oil

Salt

Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Dice ingredients and place into food processor. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until the consistency of your liking. (You can also just do this without the food processor. This is the method I like to use, unless I'm in a hurry. Just remove peel and pith from limes. Cut between membranes and remove the segments. Put in a bowl and squeeze membrane juice over. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Season and refrigerate until ready to use.)

PINK CHILI MAYO:

INGREDIENTS:

1 c. sour cream

1 c. mayo

3 chipotles* in adobo +

2 Tablespoons of adobo

1/2 lemon, juiced

Salt

Pepper

*I only use 1 chili because we are not a fan of heat in our house. Feel free to use as many or as few as you'd like...just start with a little because you can always add more. Mix and taste and adjust to your liking :)

DIRECTIONS:

Put chipotles and adobo sauce in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Add sour cream, mayo and lemon juice and continue to process until mixture is consistent and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

FISH TACOS:

INGREDIENTS:

2lbs mahi mahi skinned, boned and cut into strips

2 c. all purpose flour

3 eggs lightly beaten

4 Tablespoons water

2 c. panko bread crumbs

Salt

Pepper

Vegetable oil (for frying)

1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch chives (optional)

3 limes cut into wedges for garnish

Tortillas

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the fish. Cut pieces of fish into 1 oz. strips. Set up breading station of flour, lightly beaten eggs plus water and seasoned panko. Season all with salt and pepper. Dredge pieces of fish in flour then egg, then panko. Once all fish is breaded, fry in small batches in 375 degree oil. Drain on paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Lay out tortilla. Spread some pink chili mayo on tortilla. Place a few fish strips on mayo. Top with shredded cabbage. Add a few sprigs of cilantro and finish with mango radish salsa on top. You can squeeze lime on top...and enjoy!!! It's SO GOOD! 

This recipe was inspired by and adapted from a recipe I saw a million years ago by Tyler Florance (I love him!) Thanks for stopping by!

Chick-Fil-A Chicken Clone

 

If you've never made this before...stop what you're doing right now and make this. Seriously. Stop. It's so good its almost irrational. It has quickly become a staple in my house and I get requests for this more than any other thing I make. Mmmmm.

Ingredients: chicken, milk, egg and pickle juice.

(flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper and oil not pictured)

Cut chicken into bite sized cubes. Season with salt and pepper.

Beat egg and mix with milk and pickle juice.

Add liquid mixture to chicken. Let marinate for about 2 hours. (most of the time I only let it marinate for around 30 minutes because I don't have the time... and it's still delicious.)

Mix flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Heat oil in skillet (I use two huge ones) over medium heat. When pans are hot, take some of the chicken out of the marinade and dredge it in the flour mixture. I usually use a gallon sized Ziploc bag for my flour mixture and just drop the chicken into the bag and shake to coat. (I was out of bags, so this time I just used a bowl.)

 

Cook over medium heat until browned on one side.

 

Flip over and cook other side.

 

A closer look. Repeat until all of the chicken is cooked.

Ingredients for the honey mustard dipping sauce. Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, yellow mustard and honey. Seriously... this is too good.

Measure out all of the ingredients.

Stir together... so easy.

When chicken is finished cooking, remove it from pan onto a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.

And there it is! So easy... and insanely good.

Ingredients:

 

2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with salt & pepper
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dill pickle juice
1 egg
1-1/4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup peanut oil, divided (or canola or vegetable oil)...I use vegetable.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Whisk together egg, milk and pickle juice, and pour into a large ziplock bag or bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours. (Again, I usually only do mine about 30 minutes and it still turns out ok).
2. Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Shake to combine. Remove chicken from the marinade and add into the bag. Shake to coat the chicken completely.
3. Heat half the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat (6 or 7 out of 10.) Test the oil by dropping in a bit of the flour mixture. If it sizzles, the oil is ready, if it pops, lower the temperature a bit.
4. Gently place chicken pieces into the oil with tongs. Do this in 2 batches, as you don’t want to overcrowd the pan. (Or you can use two pans at the same time like I do). Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Turn the chicken over and allow to cook for 3-4 more minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Heat the remaining oil and continue with the other half of the chicken pieces.
5. Stir together the honey mustard dipping sauce ingredients, and serve with the hot chicken bites.

 

 

I got this recipe from Iowagirleats. And it's been life changing.