Year after year, I am unable to see my sister on her birthday because it just happens to fall around the same time as finals (I swear, college has it out for me). Naturally, this upsets Sister Cookie as well, but I think that’s more because I’m not there to bake her anything than because she misses me. Well, lucky for her this year, I was able to be there in spirit by having Mother Cookie deliver a birthday cake to her when she went to visit this week.
My sister, being the indecisive creature that she is, had a painful time deciding what kind of cake she wanted. After a good amount of brainstorming that felt much like pulling teeth, I had a mouthwatering idea: Chunky Monkey Poke Cake.
Sister Cookie was right on board.
Like all Chunky Monkey-flavored treats, this cake showcases a trio of perfectly paired flavors: peanut butter, chocolate, and banana. What triple threat could be more tantalizing than that?
Now that an entire year has passed since I started The Smart Cookie Cook, I have but one regret: that I didn’t start it sooner.
This website is the most gratifying, enjoyable thing I do in my life. I’m not ashamed to admit that college takes a backseat to Smart Cookie (but never fear, I still pull off good grades!). This is where my passion lies, in my food, my cooking, my baking, and in sharing it with you. I am so glad I have the opportunity to bring my Smart Cookie twists, tips, and tricks to all of you. When I make something delicious or think of something brilliant, my first thought is always, “I can’t wait to put this on Smart Cookie!”
My goal has always been, and will always be, to put smart twists on every dish, to make food the best it can be. From the start, I’ve wanted to bring you recipes that are both delicious and unique. I’m not satisfied with giving you good; it’s got to be great. Not only do I plan to keep on doing what I’m doing, but I plan to get even better. And you can bet your sticky buns that I’ll keep on churning out creative recipes, ingenious tips, and super fun videos. There’s nothing else I’d rather do. (Except maybe star on Food Network…)
Thank you so much to those who have supported me. And thank you to those who are just joining me. Nothing makes me happier than garnering new readers. I love to have you here. I hope you’ll keep stopping by in the years to come, because it’s only going to get better from here.
Now, we can’t have a proper birthday celebration without cake. I had a hard time deciding what flavor to choose until I asked myself an obvious question: What’s my favorite cake? I then realized this was a loaded question, because I have multiple favorites. If I had to narrow it down to two, I’d probably say strawberry cake and coconut cake. Rather than ripping my hair out over trying to choose between the two, I decided to fuse both flavors into one cake.
And man, was it good.
This Strawberry-Coconut Poke Cake is everything I love in one perfect dessert. I started with a moist and tender strawberry cake. That alone was fantastic, made with fresh strawberries, & worlds better than a boxed mix. I can also attest to it being the most delicious cake batter I’ve had, so much so that I’m freakin’ lucky I didn’t get salmonella.
I took that great cake and made it greater. How, you ask? I poked it and soaked it with sweet strawberry syrup and indulgent cream of coconut. It’s intensely infused with those fruity, tropical flavors. Plus, you know it’s going to be decadently moist and succulent. That’s the great thing about a poke cake; you never have to worry about it being dry.
Then comes the best part: Coconut Whipped Cream-Mascarpone Frosting. Yeah, sounds amazing, right? Well, it tastes even better. It’s light yet rich and creamy, then kissed with coconut flavor. This may be what the clouds in Jamaica taste like. But that’s just a theory.
This cool and refreshing cake = perfect for summer. It tastes so light, which may trick you into eating one honkin’ slice. Don’t fight it; this heavenly cake is worth it.
If this doesn’t say “Happy Birthday, Smart Cookie,” than nothing does.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Make sure you watch the video to catch the step-by-step instruction, plus hear me (poorly) sing “Happy Birthday”!
I can get around you using a boxed strawberry cake mix if you promise to make this AMAZING frosting. It’s the easiest frosting ever, and so darn good.
You can add food dye to the cake and/or strawberry syrup to make the color more vibrant. I added a few drops to the syrup, but not the cake.
Can’t find cream of coconut? Use coconut milk instead.
You could make this as a 2-tiered round cake if you wanted.
You should make this early the day you plan to eat it or, even better, the night before. It takes some prep time between the cooling and chilling. Plus, the longer it chills, the greater the flavor.
“Hulled” simply means removing the green parts from the strawberries.
The colder the cream, the quicker it will whip. In fact, I recommend putting your mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before whipping.
Strawberry-Coconut Poke Cake
Makes 12-16 servings
Ingredients:
For the cake Cake adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Classic White Cake and Good Things Catered
16 oz. very ripe strawberries, hulled
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temp
red food dye, optional
3/4 cup cream of coconut
For the strawberry syrup Syrup adapted from Taste of Home
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. strawberry gelatin
red food dye, optional
For the Coconut Whipped Cream-Mascarpone Frosting Frosting by The Smart Cookie Cook
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. coconut milk
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
Directions:
*Note: It’s a good idea to macerate the strawberries the day before so they don’t set you back time-wise when you’re ready to make the cake.
Slice strawberries and toss with a teaspoon or two of sugar and cover. Let them sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, until nice and juicy.
Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9×13-inch pan. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup puree, milk, egg, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended. If you have leftover puree, you can refrigerate for later use.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine. Beat in butter at low speed. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs. Add puree-mixture and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds. Note: The batter will not get any pinker in the oven, so if you’re disappointed in the color from your berries, add a drop or two of pink or red food coloring.
Poor batter into prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely (about 1 hour).
While the cake cools, make the strawberry syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries, water and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until berries are soft. Strain into a small bowl, pressing berries lightly; discard pulp. Add gelatin to syrup, stirring to dissolve completely. Cool to room temperature.
Use a knife sharpener or the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch barrier around the perimeter of the cake. Poor the strawberry syrup evenly over the cake’s surface, letting it seep into the holes. Give it a minute to absorb then pour the cream of coconut over top, using a spatula to press it down into the cake. Cover and refrigerate until fully absorbed and set, about 2 hours.
Make the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese until soft. Add the cream, vanilla, and coconut milk and whip until stiff peaks form. Make sure the mixture is homogenous and the mascarpone isn’t sitting at the bottom. Add a bit more coconut milk if you’d like it more coconutty. Immediately spread onto chilled cake in an even layer. Top with the shredded coconut. Refrigerate cake for at least 2 hours before eating. The longer it chills, the better the flavor will be. However, you can serve immediately if you’re on a time constraint.
Store cake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Although I’m well aware that the 4th of July was yesterday, I felt it necessary to share with you this gloriously patriotic cake. Since Independence Day was also on hump day, I know a lot of people didn’t get to celebrate it because of work, and therefore, must wait until the weekend. This cake’s for you guys who are such hard workers that you kept burning through, even on America’s birthday. You represent what America is about: working incredibly, commendably hard towards a goal, and never stopping to take a break.
However, I do hope you will give yourselves a well-deserved moment to breathe this weekend when you celebrate a belated Independence Day. I happen to know firsthand that the very best way to reward yourself after a long work week is with cake. Cake is the ultimate mood-lifter. One moment you can be down-trodden and depressed, cursing some god or another for whatever ails you. But the instant you see cake, a smile spreads across your face, your eyes widen, and you cry, “IS THAT CAKE?”
Of course, cake in this case serves a two-fold purpose: to celebrate your hardworking ethics and to say, “Happy Birthday, America!” If you got stuck working on the 4th and you’re putting off your fireworks until the weekend, then that’s actually great news. Why? Because now you can make this Red, White, & Blue Poke Cake.
As far as cakes go, it doesn’t get much more patriotic than this. A beautiful moist and fluffy white cake is soaked with strawberry & blueberry juice to create an almost tie-dye effect that displays our country’s colors. But those swirls of red & blue aren’t just for show; they add a burst of berry flavor in every bite. The fluffy Whipped Cream Frosting is the perfect compliment to those fresh fruit flavors. It’s light and not too sweet, but its cloud-like texture is purely indulgent.
America, if this doesn’t say “Happy Birthday,” then no cake will.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Yes, you can use a boxed white cake mix. No, I don’t recommend it. It will not taste half as good.
You can find little candy stars like the ones I used at craft stores.
This cake should be prepared earlier in the day to allow for proper chilling time. You can even chill it overnight.
This is not a sugary-sweet cake. It’s refreshing and just the right amount of sweet.
Keep this guy cool in the fridge until ready to serve. Do not leave it under the hot sun at a picnic!
You could bake this as a sheet cake and do one half blue, one half red.
I know it sounds like a lot of components, but this cake is actually really super simple to put together. Even a beginner can do it!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8×8 in. round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
In a small bowl combine the milk and vinegar. Allow to sit for a minute, and then whisk in the baking soda.
In a medium bowl lightly whisk the egg whites, a 1/4 cup of the milk mixture, and the vanilla.
In the bowl of a stand in mixer, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda on low until well-combined. Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk mixture. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes to aerate.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add a small amount of the egg mixture at a time, beating until incorporated.
Add the boiling water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on low to incorporate then increase to high for 30 seconds.
Distribute batter between the two pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the strawberry and blueberry drizzles. For the strawberry, in a small saucepan, combine the strawberries, water and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until berries are soft. Strain into a small bowl, pressing berries lightly; discard pulp. Add gelatin to syrup, stirring to dissolve completely. Cool to room temperature. Repeat steps to make blueberry filling.
Using a wooden skewer, pierce tops of cakes to within 1 inch of edge; twist skewer gently to make slightly larger holes. Gradually pour cooled strawberry mixture over one cake, being careful to fill each hole. Repeat with blueberry mixture and remaining cake. Refrigerate, covered, until set; 2 hours or overnight.
In a large bowl, beat cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Run a knife around edges of pans to loosen cakes. Remove strawberry cake from pan; remove paper. Place cake on a serving plate. Spread with a generous amount of whipped cream.
Remove blueberry cake from pan; remove paper. Place cake over whipped cream layer. Frost top and sides with remaining cream. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Yield: 12 servings.
When I say “personal,” I mean these cakes could easily feed two people, but why would you ever want to share? Having your own personal cake allows you to either indulge in the whole sweet treat in one fell swoop or pace it out and prolong the enjoyment. The choice is yours, my little cookies.
Regardless of how you choose to scarf ‘em down, you simply must make these Personal Pumpkin Poke Cakes. They are so good, unlike anything I’ve had before. It’s a whole new pumpkin experience, which I am always happy to partake in.
The cakes are so incredibly moist, and why wouldn’t they be? You’re almost always guaranteed a moist, delicious cake when you bake with pumpkin. Then, the cakes are poked & soaked with a sweet cinnamon-caramel sauce, along with sweetened condensed milk. It’s totally indulgent, but surprisingly, not overly so. It is just sinful enough.
