Many years ago, someone made a cake similar to this and I fell in love with it, but I never got the exact recipe. I knew that it was a white cake with a Danish Dessert topping. The cream cheese layer was the mystery, so I just used the instructions from this Pretzel-Bottom Strawberry Jello.
White cake, baked according to package directions in either a sheet cake or 9x13 pan
1 C. powdered sugar
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip, thawed
1 box strawberry-flavored Danish Dessert
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Beat cream cheese in bowl until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar until well combined. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture over baked cake. Place sliced strawberries on top of cream cheese mixture so strawberries cover entire cake. Refrigerate. Meanwhile, make Danish Dessert using the recipe on the box for pie glaze. Stir contents of package into 1-3/4 C. cold water in medium-size saucepan. Bring to full boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool mixture slightly. Pour mixture on top of refrigerated cake. Return cake to refrigerator and chill until Danish Dessert is set, about 3-4 hours.
Notes: If I am making a sheet cake, I will slice the fresh strawberries into thin slices. If I am making a 9x13-sized cake, I will slice the fresh strawberries into halves.
Frozen, sliced strawberries may be used in place of the fresh strawberries. However, if I am using frozen strawberries, then I do not layer the strawberries on the cake. I just put the strawberries directly into the Danish Dessert. The hot Danish Dessert will thaw the strawberries. Then pour the mixture on the refrigerated cake taking care to spread the strawberries as much as possible over the entire cake.
A sheet cake has a better ratio of cake to topping and makes more servings. However, the sides are not usually high enough to hold the cream cheese mixture and strawberry topping, so it is pretty messy. I usually prefer to bake the cake in a 9x13 pan.
There is probably more cream cheese mixture than is needed to "frost" the cake. Use the leftover "frosting" as a fruit dip. Yum!
The Danish Dessert stains everything, so be careful!
Variation: Raspberry-flavored Danish Dessert and fresh/frozen raspberries may be used in place of the strawberries.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
From the Food Network.
2 C. sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder (or up to 1/3 C. if you like more chocolate)
3 C. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 C. smooth peanut butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Line a baking sheet/counter with wax paper or parchment.
Bring the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then let boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla, and stir to combine.
Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the wax paper/parchment. Let cookies sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Note: The key to getting this recipe right is boiling the mixture for the right amount of time. Let the mixture come to a rolling boil, meaning that the mixture keeps boiling even when stirred. When the mixture reaches that point, set the timer for 1 minute.
2 C. sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder (or up to 1/3 C. if you like more chocolate)
3 C. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 C. smooth peanut butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Line a baking sheet/counter with wax paper or parchment.
Bring the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then let boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla, and stir to combine.
Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the wax paper/parchment. Let cookies sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Note: The key to getting this recipe right is boiling the mixture for the right amount of time. Let the mixture come to a rolling boil, meaning that the mixture keeps boiling even when stirred. When the mixture reaches that point, set the timer for 1 minute.