Disclosure: I was treated to an afternoon with the CA Strawberry Commission that included dinner and lots of strawberries, I was also given a stipend for my recipe. All opinions and recipe are my own.
I recently went on a trip to an Oxnard, California Strawberry field. I know, that makes you think of the Beatles song “Strawberry Fields Forever.” I couldn’t stop humming that tune to myself the whole day, such a melancholy song in one of the sweetest fields of California…. I learned all sorts of new fun facts about strawberries, and got to spend the day with a few of my good friends. I ran around in the fields looking for the biggest prettiest reddest strawberry I could find and tried to shove as many in mouth as possible. Picking them fresh and tasting them at the warm temperature made such a sweet difference. I guess I’m use to eating them out of my fridge and cold. Here are a few interesting facts that Farmer Bill Reiman and The CA Strawberry Commission shared.
- Every day superfruit: 8 strawberries contain more vitamin C than an orange. Low in sugar, with only about 50 calories, strawberries are a great source of fiber, folate and potassium.
- Good for your heart: Potassium found in strawberries can help control blood pressure and fight strokes. Plus, antioxidants, fiber and phytochemicals in strawberries have been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels.
- California’s strawberry farmers are among the most progressive and environmentally conscious in the state. In fact, they have invested millions of dollars in research and sustainable farming practices to reduce pesticide use and environmental impacts.
- There are no genetically modified strawberries commercially grown and shipped. Different varieties of strawberries are developed for different climates and growing conditions. These varieties are developed using traditional breeding methods that involve selecting two parents and crossing them using their flowers.
With all these great facts about strawberries I decided to bake a cake to celebrate strawberries and how much my family loves them.
Ingredients for Strawberry Blueberry PoppySeed Olive Oil Cake:
- 3 1/2 – cups flour
- 3 – teaspoons baking powder
- 1 – teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 – teaspoon salt
- 2 – cups sugar
- 1 – cup whole milk
- 5 – extra large eggs (or 6 regular sized ones)
- 1 1/3 – cup extra virgen olive oil
- 3 – tablespoons poppyseeds
- 2 – cups fresh strawberries (chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)
- 1 – cup fresh blueberries
Ingredients for Strawberry Icing:
- 1/2 cup strawberry puree (about 8 to 10 strawberries)
- 3 – cups confectioners sugar
Directions for Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Spray a 12 cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray, and set to the side.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl, and mix to combine. Set to the side.
- In a mixer add in sugar, milk, eggs and olive oil. Mix to combine for 5 minutes on a medium speed.
- Then gradually add flour mixture to sugar/olive oil mixture, mix until completely combined.
- Add poppy seeds, strawberries, and blueberries to batter and mix to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and back for 60 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 3 hours.
- Then pull cake away from the edges of the pan and center.
- Invert cake onto a platter.
- In a blender add strawberries and blend until completely liquified.
- Then using a sieve strain strawberry puree into a cup.
- Pour confectioners sugar and strawberry puree into a bowl together and mix with a whisk or fork until completely smooth. Icing with be slightly thick.
- Then slowly pour icing over cake and allow to harden for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Slice and ENJOY!!!!!!
Here are a few pictures from the field trip!
Ericka and I being greedy with our strawberries, and hoping nobody catches us!
Thank you CA Strawberry Commission for a fun and sweet day!
We love strawberry Margaritas. Don’t have them often; it’s always a treat when we can get domestic berries by the bucketload.
PS: I doubt if I’m eligible for the teapot since Dear Hubby works for another produce commission but I am soooooooo sharing.
I can’t wait every year for strawberry season. I love to eat them fresh and I always make a bunch of strawberry jelly. Nothing better.
Let me count the ways on how I like to enjoy stawberrys!! I love them raw, with a little bit of sugar and honey, dipped in chocolate, blended in a fruit smoothie, in yogurt, baked in a pie or cobbler, in fruit tarts, cakes, on top of short cake, dried, in oatmeal, in cereal, made into jam, and of course blended to make a fresh strawberry daiquiri or margarita….Cheers!!
I would love love love to win this amazing teapot, figures crossed!
Liz XoXo 🙂
Strawberries are only the best fruit ever. I’ve been having a love affair with them my whole life. My favorite way to eat them is plain because when they are ripe you just don’t need anything else! also I really want that teapot! 🙂
Aside from in margaritas and daquiris, I love them con crema! Or with a shortcake biscuit and homemade whip cream.
I love strawberries.. Especially Fresas con crema. Fresh red strawberries with Delisious crema.. Oh man need to have this now just thinking about it.
I love my strawberries fresh. I love making freezer jam with them. I also add them to lemonade.
I love to make smoothies for my kiddo with the strawberries, a banana, OJ & honey yogurt mmmm yum!
I love strawberries fresh and right out of the basket.
We love to slice them up and throw them in the dehydrator. They make amazing strawberry chips. I puree strawberries and dehydrate them for a homemade fruit leather. Eating them raw is also a favorite.
I like to cut them up and swish them in a bowl. Then use them in my yogurt for breakfast.
I did not care about strawberries for a long time but now I can’t do without them , specially chocolate dipped even if some are sour , I always have to have some in the fridge for my husband he just loves them, and you gotta keep the hubby happy.
Frozen for smoothies
Oh my goodness what a coincidence that I’m seeing this post and your blog for the first time at 12:10 am on May 13. Also a coincidence that me and my three daughters ate a huge box of strawberries (the whole thing!) a few hours ago. My favorite thing about strawberries… my grandmother collected anything with strawberries on it and anything with a strawberry on it reminds me of her. I loved your post, it brings me back to the time I was lost in the strawberry fields in Oxnard. I live in Oregon now and miss Cali so much. 🙂