February 2011 Iron Chef Pembroke Pines...Strawberry Extravaganza Shortcake

We've been doing Iron Chef since September...but I haven't been very good at compiling the recipes. I might be able to go back and enter my favorites...at least the winners!!!...from the past months...but I figure the best thing to do is just start fresh.

In February, Iron Chefs secret ingredient was "Strawberries". Jason has been coming to Iron Chef with me for over a year, but he only started competing last month.

This month he whipped out an amazing dessert, and he won!! Here it is:



Jasons Strawberry Extravaganza Shortcake

Cake:

2 box Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix
8 eggs
2 box (small) Strawberry Jello (gelatin dessert)
2 ½ cup water
½ cup oil

Filling:

2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 quarts strawberries, hulled and sliced thickly
1 TBS Lemon juice
White sugar

Topping:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Make It:

1. Mix all cake ingredients and pour into 4 round cake pans pan greased with cooking spray.

2. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until done.

3. Remove from oven and pierce with holes all over.

4. Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice from "Topping" and pour over the tops of each cake. Spread evenly.

5. When cool, remove from pans and chill until cold (a couple hours).

6. While cake is chilling, masterate strawberries in the 2 TBS sugar and a TBS lemon juice from "Filling" for at least one hour.

7. Make filling by combining cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla and whipping at high speed with a blender until stiff peaks form.

8. Remove cake layers from fridge and alternate cake layers, cream filling, and masterated strawberries. Repeat.

9. Decorate top with more berries and additional cream filling, if desire.

10. Chill remaining cake until eaten.

courtesy Jason Johnson