When the temperature rises we have to find ways to beat the heat. While you’ve probably stuck your head into the freezer a time or two (who hasn’t?), there are plenty of other ways to get the job done. Sweltering temps are a great excuse to enjoy some of summer’s best frozen treats – ice cream cones, frozen cocktails, and popsicles. Or better yet – poptails.
Poptails are popsicle cocktail combos – and trust me, you want them to be apart of your summer cool-down strategy.
To make these strawberry margarita popsicles you’ll need a few supplies – 3 oz. plastic or paper cups, craft sticks (or popsicle sticks), and plenty of limes.
Mix ingredients for strawberry margaritas – strawberries, sugar, lime juice, your favourite tequila, and triple sec) – together in a blender, and then portion the mixture out into the 3 oz cups. Cut limes into slices and push the craft or popsicle sticks through the center, leaving enough stick to hold onto when the popsicles are frozen. Top the cups with the limes and freeze.
The Test Kitchen thought to use a muffin tin to transfer the popsicles to and from the freezer. The cups fit perfectly, you can transfer more than a few at a time, and it minimizes spilling (you don’t want to waste any of those delicious margaritas, now do you?!). Brilliant.
Once the popsicles are frozen, grab a cup and enjoy (you’ll want to twist the popsicles a little bit to loosen the popsicles from the cup).
Not only do these popsicles taste exactly like strawberry margaritas, they are sure to cool you off during the dog days of summer. Put the margarita glasses and straws away and make these poptails a staple of your summer happy hour.
Slice limes about ¼-inch thick. Push handles of wooden or plastic spoons through center of lime slices. Set aside.
Place tequila, triple sec, lime juice, sugar and strawberries in the blender jar in the order listed. Blend on ICE CRUSH until blended.
Pour mixture into 2 to 3-ounce plastic cups. Place limes on top of margarita mixture in cups. Push slices slightly to eliminate air pockets under lime slices. Freeze.
Remove popsicles from cups. Sprinkle top of lime with kosher salt.
Fresh, seasonal berries are one of the best parts about the spring and summer months. Toss ripe blackberries into your morning smoothie, use strawberries to top your favourite salads, or incorporate plump blueberries into your next bake-a-thon. This beautiful pink cake is our ode to strawberry season.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking, powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Using your Hamilton Beach® stand mixer beat butter until creamy. Then add sugar, vanilla, and (optional) red food colouring and beat until well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Then gradually add the mixture of dry ingredients and fresh strawberries until you have a perfectly blended batter.
The Test Kitchen added a little food colouring to achieve a deep pink colored cake (this cake is begging to be served at a bridal shower or baby shower), but feel free to leave the food coloring out if you want to let the strawberries speak for themselves. FYI, if you omit the food colouring you should expect a light brown cake color rather than pink. The Test Kitchen experimented with the amount of food coloring to find a middle ground between red velvet-esque red and hot pink. And ¼ teaspoon was the magic number.
Pour the batter evenly into two prepared 9-inch baking pans and bake for 25 to 40 mins. After baking, cool on wire racks for 10-15 minutes before frosting.
We topped this pretty-in-pink layered cake with a homemade white chocolate cream cheese frosting and you guessed it, even more fresh strawberries. Cream cheese is arguably the best frosting there is (after all it also tops Hamilton Beach staff favourite hummingbird cake and classic carrot cake), and adding white chocolate to the mix only upgrades its already delicious flavor.
I think we can all agree that cakes baked with fresh ingredients (and a little love) are the best cakes. So skip the store-bought mix and make time for baking with berries this spring.
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of two 9-inch baking pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Dust sides with flour.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixer bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar, vanilla and food colour beating about 2 minutes until well blended.
Beat in eggs, one at a time until blended. Gradually add flour mixture and strawberries on LOW speed beating for 1 minute or until blended.
Pour mixture evenly between prepared pans.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks.
Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
Place one cake layer on cake plate; spread top of layer with 1 cup White Chocolate Frosting. Top with remaining layer; frost side of top of cake. Garnish with whole strawberries, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
White Chocolate Frosting
In a microwave safe medium bowl, stir together chips and heavy cream. Microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stir each time until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixer bowl, beat butter, vanilla and salt about 2 minutes or until creamy.
Begin gradually adding confectioners' sugar and beat about 2 minutes until smooth.
Pour heavy cream mixture into mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed about 30 to 45 seconds or until mixture is blended. Do not over beat, mixture would look curdled.
Spread onto cupcakes or cake. Store in refrigerator.
