Here’s what you need to make it:

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 ¼ lbs strawberries remove stems and quarter them

⅔ cup whole milk

½ cup vegetable or canola oil 

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened 

1 ¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

6 large egg whites² room temperature preferred

Food coloring optional

Filling:

⅓ cup granulated sugar 

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Frosting:

2 cups cold heavy cream 

1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided 

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon salt

8 oz cream cheese softened 

Preparation:

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 8” round cake pans by spraying with baking spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place quartered strawberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Run through a fine mesh sieve over a measuring cup until you have 1 – 1 ¼ cups of juice. Keep the berry pulp and set this along with any remaining pureed berries for the jam filling.

Pour strawberry juice into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to ⅓ cup. This usually takes about 10 minutes.

Once reduced, add ⅔ cup milk to the strawberry reduction and whisk together. If using food coloring, whisk that in here as well. Set aside.

In a large bowl using a stand mixer, beat together oil, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until completely combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and strawberry/milk mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until just combined after each addition. (I start and end with the flour and add the flour mixture in 4 parts and the milk mixture in 3 parts.)

Place egg whites in a separate clean, dry bowl, and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Using a spatula, gently fold egg whites into cake batter until completely combined (don’t use your electric mixer at this point or you will over-beat the batter). Divide cake batter evenly into prepared pans and bake on 350°F for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges to loosen cakes from pan and invert onto cooling rack to cool completely. While cooling, prepare the jam filling.

Jam Filling

Combine remaining strawberry pulp, ⅓ cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine.

Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and the whisk leaves a trail through the jam (this takes about 5-10 minutes).

Remove from heat, transfer to a heat-proof bowl, and place in the refrigerator to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare your frosting.

Frosting:
Combine cream cheese, ½ cup (65g) powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until creamy and smooth.

In a separate bowl (preferably a chilled metal bowl), combine remaining (1 cup, 125g) powdered sugar and cold heavy cream. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

With the mixer on low speed, stir together the cream cheese and whipped cream until completely combined.

Assembly:
Once cake and jam are completely cooled, place one layer of cake on a serving tray. Use a piping bag fitted with a round tip (I use an Ateco 808) to pipe a dam around the layer. Fill with your jam filling.

Top with a second layer of cake. Cover the entire cake with frosting.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

This cake is fluffy, airy and tastes as beautiful as it looks. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons red food coloring 

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour three 9 by 1 1/2-inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.

Frosting:

Use your  stand  mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy. Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. You can use this as a topping for anything, cakes, pancakes, cookies and other baked goods!

This is a classic red velvet cake recipe, but especially perfect for Canada Day if you want to add any special designs or decorations! We hope you enjoy this recipe!

This decadent cake is truly something special. It may seem like a lot of steps but once you find your rhythm, you’ll find that you’ve made something so indulgent and delicious. Here’s how to make a german chocolate cake:

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Coconut Frosting:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Begin by heating your oven to 375°F. Grease two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans. 

Cake:
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 25 – 35 minutes (depending on your cake pan size) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then place onto onto wire racks to cool completely.

Coconut Frosting:
In a medium saucepan add brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. 

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nuts and coconut. Allow to cool completely before layering it on the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spread consistency. Add a small amount additional milk, if needed to thin the frosting, or a little extra powder, until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in vanilla.

Let’s assemble the cake:
Place one of the cake rounds on your serving stand or plate. 

Smooth a thin layer of chocolate frosting over the cake layer, and then spoon half of the coconut frosting on top, spreading it into a smooth layer. Leave about ½ inch between the filling and edge of the cake. 

Stack the second cake round on top. Smooth chocolate frosting over the entire cake.

Spoon remaining coconut frosting on top of the cake. 

Now you have a work of art! This is sure to make anyone smile at first sight.

Anca, our Director of Human Resources, brought this fabulous chocolate version to the office and we just had to get the recipe from her!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

120 g dark (70%) chocolate (4.2oz)

¾ cup egg whites (approximately 6 large eggs), room temp

1 ½ cups caster sugar (300g / 10.5oz) 

3 teaspoons cornstarch

1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar 

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups mixed fresh fruit 

Preparation:

Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring well between each, until only just melted. Set aside to cool a little.

Preheat the oven to 245°F.  Trace the outline of a cake pan with a pencil onto a sheet of parchment paper. Place another sheet on top and set aside.

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld beater), beat the egg whites on low-medium to soft peak stage, about 5 minutes.

Sift the cornstarch and cream of tartar into the egg whites and whisk for a few seconds, just long enough to incorporate them.

Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, within 20-second intervals. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whisk until the egg whites are thick and glossy and  you have stiff peaks.

Test the mixture by rubbing a little between your finger and thumb. It should be smooth. If it’s still grainy, keep beating until smooth.

Pour the cooled, melted chocolate evenly over the mixture and fold through carefully only once. The chocolate will swirl more as you shape the pavlova.

Take the sheet of baking paper with the circle on it and dot little bits of meringue under the corners before pressing it down onto a baking tray. Do the same with the second sheet and place it on top.

Use a spatula to spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking tray and gently form it into the shape of a circle using the drawn line as a guide. Then, make small sweeps from the bottom to the top all the way around before leveling the top.

Place in the oven and bake for 1 ½ hours. Then, turn the heat off and leave the pavlova in the oven, undisturbed, for at least 2 hours. Take out of the oven and let cool before topping with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Serve slices like you would a regular cake and enjoy! Have never made meringue? No sweat! This recipe is easier than you may think and will make you a stiff peak master in no time. Happy Mother’s Day! If you make this recipe and want to share it with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Anca’s passion for baking is celebrated by everyone at the head office—we are more than happy to be her taste testers. To celebrate Easter and all things spring, we had the privilege of trying this delicious no-bake mini egg cheesecake she made, and it was SO GOOD… We just had to put it on the blog! 

Here’s what you’ll need to prepare it:

Ingredients:

· 200g Graham crackers

· 100g unsalted butter, melted

· 360g mini eggs, plus 270g to decorate

· 550ml whipping cream, plus 50ml to decorate

· 140g icing sugar, sifted

· 600g full fat cream cheese, room temperature

· Juice of half a lemon (or more, see notes)

· 1 pouch gelatin (optional, but strongly recommended)

Preparation:

1. Line the inside edge of a springform cake pan with parchment or wax paper to make it easier to remove the cake from the pan.

2. Crush the Graham crackers in a food processor until fine. 

3. Add the melted butter to your crushed Graham crackers, mix, and press the mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan. Place in the fridge to set while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

4. Prepare the gelatin according to the package instructions. Let it come to room temperature while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

5. Chop 360g of the mini eggs in half (see tip below).

6. Whip the whipping cream on high speed using a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. We recommend using our Promix Plus equipped with the whisk attachment.

7. Mix the cream cheese with the icing sugar until creamy, with your stand mixer or hand mixer.

8. With a spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream, the lemon juice, the prepared gelatin, and the chopped mini eggs until fully combined.

9. Place the cheese filling on top of the Graham cracker crust and even out the top with a silicone spatula. Place plastic wrap on top, pressing it tightly on the cheesecake to get a smooth top. Chill for 3 hours or overnight.

11. When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the top, along with the side of the springform pan. Place the cake on your platter, and remove the parchment/wax paper.

12. Plop the remaining whipped cream on top of the cheesecake and pile on the remaining mini eggs, with some chopped in half. Then, serve and enjoy!

Tips

· We highly recommended using gelatin so the cake holds better. Should you choose to forgo the gelatin, ensure the cream cheese is full fat as the light version contains more water. The consistency should be sliceable, but not solid—similar to room temperature butter.

· Make sure to sift the icing sugar— the cheesecake will have a much smoother texture.

 · Since mini eggs are hard to cut and crush, we recommend using a cut-resistant glove and a very sharp knife.

· You can add more lemon juice if you’d prefer a slightly sharper tang.

This no-bake cheesecake is easily customizable—forgo the mini eggs in the batter and put anything you’d like on top to switch things up, the possibilities are endless! Always a crowd-pleaser, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for any occasion. If you make this recipe and want to share it with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.