Slightly Sophisticated PB & J Cake, #DessertChallenge

Sheryl, The Lady Behind the Curtain, peeked out to whisper the theme of June’s dessert challenge that was to be kept secret until today. I leaned in and heard strawberries and raspberries.

Hmm, fruits are rife on French influenced Japanese tarts. The berries are always artistically displayed and almost always on white flour and sugar laden pastries.

Raspberries, Strawberries & Stacks of Fruit & Flour, Oh My!

Photo Credit

The strawberries and raspberries I employed for the task of the challenge were placed on a slightly healthier foundation. I love white refined sugar but to benefit the well-being of family and friends, I opted for a honey, peanut butter based cake: Averie Cooks Peanut Butter Honey Buttermilk Cake, I followed the cake recipe exactly as written here and omitted the streusel.

The result was a peanut buttery cake filled with remembrances of adolescence. After a 1.5 hours commute from school to home on the Tokyo trains, I’d slide into my Dad’s easy chair and escape into a book while I munched on smooth peanut butter piled high on crumbly Ritz or graham crackers.

But I digress. Back to the Strawberry and Raspberry challenge cake.  Inspired by the iconic childhood sandwich of PB & J, I infused buttercream frosting with a purée of raspberries. (Frappé a small box or raspberries in the blender and add to 3 cups of your favorite buttercream frosting.)

Peanut Butter Cake Teamed with Royal Raspberries Frosting,

Crowned with Strawberry Chocolate Drizzle

To add a touch of grownup elegance, I drizzled chocolate over the cake. The how-to is simple: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 1 ounces of semisweet chocolate and 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Wholesome Sweeteners Strawberry Agave. Being careful not to burn your fingers, drizzle the mixture with a piping bag fitted with a writing tip. (A fork works, too.)  The taste is sublime. Especially when combined with the hearty peanut butter cake and flirty, light raspberry frosting.

Note: The Strawberry Agave and Raw Honey for the cake were gifts from the lovely ladies at Wholesome Sweeteners. However, their products already line my shelves so my opinion was not influenced by the presents.

A bevy of other recipes for strawberry-raspberry beauties are featured below.

Wishing you fruitful hours, which last beyond the bright days of summer.