So that will be the principal purpose of this blog: to keep a record of the things I’ve learned to love. I also plan to write down the things I want to try, be it a destination, a drink, or a dance. And of course, tips from people who have been there or done that are very welcome!

Now, to kick things off, I’d like to share this photo:

It’s a Strawberry Shortcake Cake! And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: strawberry shortcake in cake form. I made it for a friend’s birthday, and the idea was proposed to me as a joke, since this particular friend is fond of strawberries. First I just laughed. Then I thought, “Hmm.. Strawberries are on sale at Kroger right now, and I already have plenty of practice making shortcakes.”

And thus was born the Strawberry Shortcake Cake. Each layer is one batch of Bisquick shortcake batter, baked in an 8″ round cake pan. The filling is strawberry jam, the frosting is Cool Whip, and the garnish is (duh!) strawberries. Now, for those of you who may not have frosted with Cool Whip before, let me share a tip that myself and a friend of mine learned the hard way. Cool Whip cannot be defrosted sitting on the counter. You have to let it sit in the refrigerator for about four hours, until it’s a stirring consistency. If you try to defrost it too quickly, it will just melt and drip down the cake when you try to frost with it.

Fortunately, I had already learned this lesson on another cake, so last night’s cake was nicely frosted. Overall, I’d say the cake was a success. The only weird part was that the shortcake wasn’t quite as fluffy as it is when you bake the dough as six separate shortcakes. I don’t know if that is because I used Bisquick when I usually use Jiffy Mix or because I changed the shape in which the dough was baked. Regardless, it was still a tasty, slightly classier, version of strawberry shortcake. When summer berry season rolls around, I’ll have to try it again with a different variety of berries.