Green Tea Layer Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons powdered green tea
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons powdered green tea
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 - 9 inch round pans. Sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, salt, and green tea powder; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before turning out of the pans. To make Green Tea Frosting: Sift together confectioners' sugar and green tea powder. In a medium bowl, combine tea mixture with butter, cream cheese, vanilla and milk. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. To assemble the cakes: when the cakes are completely cooled, put one layer on a flat serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting over it. Place the other layer of cake on top, and spread frosting to cover the top and sides of cake. Dust with green tea powder if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Strawberries filled with Cream

16-18 large strawberries

1/3 cup mascarpone cheese

1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream

2-3 (24-36 grams) tablespoons granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

You want the strawberries to sit flat.  So if they are a little wobbly with the stems left on, cut the green stems off the strawberries so they  will stand upright when placed on your serving tray.  With a small sharp knife, cut an "X" in each strawberry, cutting almost to the bottom of each strawberry.  (The cut should be such that the strawberry will open up but not fall apart.) Gently, with your fingertips, spread each strawberry apart to make "petals".  Set aside while you make the cream filling.

In a medium sized bowl, whip the mascarpone cheese and whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

Spoon the cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip).  Pipe the cream into the strawberries.  If not serving immediately, cover, and place in the refrigerator until serving time. 

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

To make 1 pie:

2 eggs

398 ml of E.D. Smith pure Pumpkin

1 Cup (250 ml) Packed brown sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) Ground cinnamon

1/2 (2 ml) Ground nutmeg

1/4 (1 ml) Ground ginger

1/4 (1 ml) salt

3/4 (175 ml) Evaporated milk

1 (9in/23cm) unbaked deep dish pie shell

Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl. Add pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt; Stir until well combined. Blend in milk. Pour filling in pie shell. Bake at 425F (220C) 15 min. reduce oven temperature to 350F (180C) and continue baking 30-35 min longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.