Southern Style Strawberry Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm not a girly girl.

I'm not a tomboy either, but I'm not one of those women who paints her fingernails (I like my red toenails in the summer though), or takes a lot of time in the bathroom, or puts on a lot of makeup. I couldn't tell you the last time I applied lipstick. It's been years. I don't enjoy clothes shopping. I'm so short that everything has to be hemmed so it's a hassle.

I don't mess with my hair. It's just has a mind of it's own and I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that I just need to let it do it's thing.

Some girly things I do like:

• I do enjoy the occasional pedicure.
• I do love to shoe shop.
• Handbags - forget about it. I would have a closet full if I didn't stop myself.
• Body Spray - I don't pour it on by the boatload but I do like to smell nice. Bath & Body Works Rice Flower and Shea is my favorite.

I'm not into the color pink. Maybe it's because I never had a little girl? Give me a deep purple, or dusty green and I'm happy.

Sometimes pink is called for and what more appropriate day to make something pink? Mother's Day.

I made a pink cake for my Mom.

It sure was pretty and it tasted good too. I had men eating pink cake and they liked it.

You will too.



Southern Style Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
recipe from Joy the Baker
1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry Jell-o
1 Tablespoon self-rising flour (I didn’t have this, so I just threw a pinch of baking powder in and it worked just fine))
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced.

Preheat the oven to 350.

To make the cake, combine to cake mix, Jell-o, flour and sugar in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the water and strawberries and mix well. Divide the batter evenly into two 8 or 9inch round baking pans that have been greased and floured. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the layers pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer the layers from the oven to wire racks. Let them cool, still in their pans, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the inside edge of each pan, then unmold each layer onto the racks to cool completely.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 (1 pound) boxes powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
pink food coloring
strawberries for garnish

To make the frosting, in a bowl combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until soft and pliable and no lumps remain. Add one box of the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Beat until incorporated. Add the second box of sugar and mix until incorporated. If you would like a smoother consistency, and a slash of milk. If you would like a thicker consistency, and a bit more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved.

Put the coconut in a small bowl and sprinkle with two or three drops of pink die. Mix with hands to distribute the color and wash hands immediately. Once the cake is frosted, decorate the top of the cake with the shredded coconut and strawberries. Enjoy!