Since strawberry season has officially begun in North Carolina, we thought we would share another sweet treat with you.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and N.C. Strawberry Association will celebrate with two Strawberry Day events in May. The first event is at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh on May 2. The celebration includes a strawberry recipe contest, ice cream samples and a visit by Suzy Strawberry. On May 3, the Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market in Colfax will host its Strawberry Day, which also includes a recipe contest, ice cream samples and visit by Suzy Strawberry.
Consumers also can find locally grown strawberries in grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets by looking for the Got To Be NC logo. The Got To Be NC program is the official state identity program for N.C. agricultural products, and lets consumers know they are buying a product grown, raised, caught or made in North Carolina.
More information about the strawberry industry is available at www.ncstrawberry.com. Consumers interested in finding a you-pick strawberry farm near them, can go to www.gottobenc.com.
Strawberry Mini Cakes
INGREDIENTS
1 box yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 oz. packet of strawberry Jell-O
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 Tablespoons strawberry Kool-Aid
1 cup water
1/2 cup finely chopped NC Strawberries
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
Spray miniature muffin tins with cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil and strawberry Jell-O with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each muffin tin half way full.
Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a cloth or cooling rack.
While cakes are cooling, make your icing. Mix the Kool-Aid with 1 cup of water. Add to the confectionary sugar. Add oil and strawberries. Stir until smooth.
Dip the top of each cake into the icing or drizzle with the glaze. Let glaze set.