Stacked Strawberry and Coconut Mini Cakes

It’s my husband’s birthday today and as military life goes, we are separated again. He is away for a couple weeks but before he left I made sure to cook him his favorite birthday dinner: Peanut Butter and Jalapeno Burgers. Sounds crazy but they are strangely good! For dessert I made these individual mini cakes, actually stacked strawberry filled sponge cakes, and they turned out so cute I can’t wait to make them again for Easter!

Happy birthday to Ashton!

Ingredients:

Makes 3 mini cakes

6 pack yellow sponge cake dessert shells
6 strawberries
3 tbsp strawberry preserves
1 cup shredded coconut

For the Whipped Frosting:

4oz Philadelphia cream cheese, softened and cubed
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Add coconut to a skillet over medium heat.
Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool.
Slice 3 of the strawberries in quarters and remove the stem. Leave the remaining three whole.
Warm the strawberry preserves in a small bowl in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, until easy to spread.
Add 1 tbsp preserves to the center of three of the dessert shells.
Top with two quarters of strawberries.
Add the remaining three dessert shells on top, with the top facing down so it encloses the strawberry filling.
Generously frost with whipped frosting.
Gently press toasted coconut on each frosted cake, covering the cake sides and top.
Top each mini cake with a whole strawberry and serve.

For the Whipped Frosting:

Place a mixing bowl and beaters/mixer into the freezer for 20-30 minutes so they will be icy cold for the whipped frosting.
Take the bowl and beaters out of the freezer and add cream cheese and sugar to the bowl.
Mix on medium until smooth then slowly add the heavy cream. Beat on high until fluffy.
Add vanilla and almond extract and beat on low until blended.