Strawberry season in Ontario is short but oh so sweet.  Yes we can buy strawberries all year long but there is something special about waiting for these tiny crimson morsels to be farm fresh.  I can go a little crazy buying them and often end up with more that I can consume.  When I find my strawberries just on the verge of too ripe I either freeze them for future smoothies or make them into this delicious strawberry snacking cake. Why should bananas have all the fun? Strawberries make an equally delicious and fragrant snacking cake.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 canola oil

3/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cups mashed strawberries

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cups white flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Icing

1/2 cup softened goat cheese (cream cheese)

3 tbsp softened butter

1 1/2 cups, sifted icing sugar

2 ripe strawberries, well mashed

Preheat oven to 350F

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Add the canola oil and sugar into a large bowl and use a hand mixer to beat for 1min.  Add in the eggs, mashed strawberries and vanilla and beat on medium until  well combined, about 2min.

3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat on low for another minute until the flour is well incorporated.

4. Bake for 25min or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

5. Add the goat cheese (or cream cheese) and butter into a bowl and beat with a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer) until well combined and fluffy.  Beat in a 1/2 cup of the icing sugar at a time until it is all added then fold in the mashed strawberries.

6. Once the cake is cool spread a generous amount of icing on to the cake.

7. Garnish with strawberries and serve.

TIP:  You will most likely have some icing left over.  You can freeze it for future use.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

MORE RECIPES